Sing To Me, Baby
by XBrokenxDollsX
Summary: AU/OOC- Uchiha Sasuke has always dreamed of becoming a star in music like his older brother with his friends by his side. When his band is becoming more popular, he feels more confident in confessing his love to Haruno Sakura, the only girl who ever touched his heart...but struggles come his way when her illness becomes deadly, and he must choose his band or the girl he loves./SxS
1. Chapter 1

Ahahaha~ When will I ever stop with new stories, ne? ;w; I feel like my life is already busy with these stories, work, schooling and my social life (holy crap, I have one of those?!) to make it all even! TAT How can I make it even? I can't! I just can't! When will the insanity stop running over my mind like melting chocolate that will drown the marshmellow and get eaten by the sugar monster-*coughs on spit* ;A;'

I came up with this story a long time ago, but never thought about showing it to anyone...but now I'm going to show the world what this crazy fuzzball can do! I once watched a Korean Drama, shown by my dear friend, Kuri-Kiki, and I fell in love with it and came up with my own Naruto AU story for it with SasuSaku (when I actually watched Naruto, but now I update on myself with the newest chapters xD I skipped...a lot)! I feel like this couple could do a wonderful part with the story due to the character's attitude, such as Sasuke's emo-ness and Sakura's spunky-ness xD My summary isn't the best for this story, I believe. So please take the time to check out the first chapter at least to see how you feel about it.

I don't remember the name of the Korean drama that inspired me to make this story a long time ago, but I will ask Kiki when we chat next and tell you in my next Author's Note for you guys C: It really is a sweet drama and it brought tears to my eyes; such as I want to do with this story! I wanna make you all cry! (in a good way, I hate making people sad!) Sadness with a story if a good combination, right? It's suppose to make you embrace life and love all the things you cherish in your-*chokes on spit once more* BLEGH! I can't be emotional out of the story!

So, my fellow reader, I hope you will enjoy this story and leave inspiring reviews! Reviews make me continue xD or Follows and Favorites, but I love hearing your opinions about it. Enjoy this SasuSaku story and do whatever you wish to be happy! Your happiness makes Kitty a happy fuzzball!

=xxx=

**Christmas Eve**

_Sakura watched out of the car's window of the snowflakes cementing themselves onto the see-through material, creating interesting patterns and pretty shapes as the pink haired child used her pointer finger to draw on the window. She learned from somewhere of how this was possible: the cold outside is colliding with the heat on the inside of the vehicle, creating this misty substance that let her draw faint doodles of flowers and dinosaurs. She can't remember the name, but she didn't care. She was eight, after all, and the mind of remembering such professional words didn't matter to her just yet._

_"Sakura," a female voice rang from the front of the car. Sitting in the passenger seat was Sakura's mother, Haruno Mebuki, was flipping through her magazine as she peeked into the rear-view mirror to look at her only child. "Are you excited to see your Aunties?"_

_"Hai, Mommy," Sakura nodded cheekly, her decorated hair of holly leave in a bun swift to her head motions. "I missed Mikoto-chan and Kushina-chan very much!"_

_"That is very good, honey. I bet the boys missed you, too!" Mebuki smiled. "I heard from Kushina-chan that the two are making you a special Christmas gift."_

_"Those two lads are two monkeys fighting over one banana!" Sakura's father, Kizashi, grumbled under his breath. "Fighting over my daughter's love like that!"_

_"They think of her as their sister, you idiot," his loving wife hissed lightly with a smile still planted on her face. "You were the same thing when we first met!"_

_"In High School!" Kizashi tightened his grip on the steering wheel, keeping his eyes on the dark road. "We were mature and actually knew what we wanted in life! If they grow up letting my daughter think they love her and move on, they'll break her lovely heart. I, as a father, will not stand for that!"_

_"Moron," Mebuki pouted, looking at the Horoscope. "Sakura, what would you do if Sasuke and Naruto found other girls and decide they love them?"_

_The light pink haired girl finished her drawing of a daisy, smiling adorably at her mother's question. "I would be the happiest girl in the world knowing that they found someone they love very much. I don't always need them, I'm a big girl!"_

_"See, Kiza-kun? Your daughter is smarter then the average girl," Mebuki giggled. "And she has my good punches, so if she does get her heart broken, she'll destory them!" She made a fist, her knuckles cracking in the process. "She's my baby girl, Cha!"_

_"Heh heh, I am the luckiest man in the world," Kizashi smiled whole heartedly. "Two strong girls who don't go down without a fight..."_

_Sakura watched as her mother reached over her armrest, placing a loving peck on her father's whiskered cheek while he kept his eyes on the road. His loving smile didn't go unoticed by the eight year old, who giggled quietly as she returned to her drawing on the window. She couldn't wait to show her two best friends of her attempt to draw their favorite dinosaurs that she remembered by heart._

_A sound of a fierce honk made the young girl jump. She let out a surprised gasp as she looked behind the moving vehicle to see headlights flashing at her, slightly swerving as she heard her mother's sigh in her little ears._

_"Oh dear...doesn't the baka know that there were three black ice warnings?" Mebuki sighed as she peeked to check on her daughter. "It's okay, baby girl. That man is just crabby!"_

_"I think he's drunk, honey," Kizashi chipped in as he checked his mirrors for a few seconds, keeping a steady speed safe as the sign warned them. "He's swerving way too much..."_

_"Just let the bastard whine and let him go around us," his loving wife suggested. "He can't be hammered enough not to get on the road at this weather."_

_Kizashi nodded in agreement, ignoring the continuous honking coming from behind him. Kizashi was always a cautious driver, since he drove around Japan many times with his business partner, Uchiha Fugaku, and even drove all-nighters so his friend can rest in time before an important meeting. He was also very passive with rude people, such as this driver, and didn't let it get to him of the part when the driver reved his gas._

_"I'll just let him know he can go around," Kizashi finally said after reaching the top of a hill. He rolled down his window and stuck his clothed arm out, waving his palm to signal to the driver he could pass him. "I'm doing twenty-five miles an hour... the ice is really thick downhill."_

_"Just be careful, honey," Mebuki watched as the headlights suddenly swerved out from behind, speeding up to let the fenders of their cars to match._

_Sakura watched at the alien car honk fiercly, suddenly closing in on the side; making Kizashi move away slightly with his driving talent, barely missing the slip of ice. Her eyes widened with concern as the honk continued as the cars began to go downhill, her father's speed was tolerable and safe, but the driver next to them was pumping the gas and sliding._

_"Slow down, Kiza-kun... I think he's upset."_

_"I am, honey. But he's trying to hit me!" Kizashi placed his foot cautiously on the brake, letting the car slow down much more. He noticed the passenger window of the unknown car roll down, shouts screeching out of a slurred language Sakura would usually plug her ears from because they were naughty words. He waved his hand once more. "Go around! Don't mind me, please!"_

_It seemed to go in slow motion to Sakura's jade eyes. The car that was scaring her pushed against their car, suddenly throwing the two vehicles off the road and roll down the hill, colliding with each other and crushing everything that got in their way: unable to stop on the steep hill, crushing metal and rubber scattered._

_"SAKURA!" the screams of her parents rang in her numbing ears as she wrapped her little arms around her head, pushing herself against the crumbling seat as glass shattered and her seatbelt yanked her still and nearly choked her._

_The world went black to Sakura for a very long time, like when she would turn off her nightlight in her bedroom, very scary looking and quiet. Her eyesight began to return slowly as dust of snowflakes fluttered gracefully against the winter wind; sending a sudden chill to her body. Wasn't the car's head on to keep her warm? Where was her jacket again?_

_Sakura's tiny hand touched her own cheek, feeling something wet and stick against her suddenly cold face. She pulled her fingers close to her eyes to see dots of red on her sea-foam green painted nails, the two colors that resembled Christmas, red and green... Her legs felt numb and her chest was hurting really, really bad._

_"M-m...Mommy," Sakura's childish voice cracked in a scary way, even scaring herself when she heard her own speech. "Mommy, Daddy...something huuurts!" She coughed sickly when she forced herself to roll to her tummy, feeling the snow press against her face as she pushed her hands to settle her upper body up and send a jolt of pain up her spine. "It huuuurts! Mommy!"_

_No one answered the little girl, who now realized that she wasn't in the car anymore, sending her mind in a hazy panic as she looked around for her mother and run into her inviting arms and have her father find her favorite band-aids with bugs on it. She pushed up more to sit on her rear, rubbing her face more to try and get rid of the sticky stuff that was now starting to itch her skin._

_She finally sought out her parent's black car, rammed against a giant pine tree that laid silently in the winter storm. The other car, that was red, was only ten feet away from her parents': on it's back and had a flame flicker from where the engine would be, the wheels still spinning at a fast pace as Sakura crawled her way over to the car._

_It didn't take a long time for Sakura to reach her car, but it hurt __**so **__bad to try and use her legs, let alone move her torso against the cold ground. She found her mother's side of the car, finally reaching to the broken window to look inside._

_"Mommy...are you okay?"_

_No sound was heard inside the broken car._

_"Daddy...I think Mommy is hurt..." Her eyesight began to show specks of black, signaling her mind to feel numb in her mouth. "Da-...eh hur...ts..."_

_Sakura decided in her thoughts that it was time to rest. Take a little nap and wait for her parents to wake up and carry her to someplace warm; hopefully to the Uchiha's Winter Cabin, where her boys where waiting patiently to show her the Christmas tree and share Christmas cookies they decorated..._

_The sticky stuff was starting to drip down her head, making Sakura whimper a little. She didn't like whatever was making her skin sticky and itchy, she was too tired to scratch the itchy spots now. She closed her eyes, her lashes fluttering as she felt the numbness spread all over her body._

_Just a little nap..._

**Christmas Day, 800 Hours/8:00 am**

_Uchiha Sasuke was not happy right now. In fact, he was in a crabby mood._

_Sakura was suppose to come over to their big cabin last night to spend the night with him and the 'family' to open presents the next day and play out in the snow. He was planning the whole day out with his other friend, writing in crayon on his older brother's math notebook on what they were going to do with the pink haired girl. But, after being sent off with the blond boy to their shared bedroom by both of their parents, and wait until morning to wish Sakura a happy day. He most excited for what he had planned for tonight when the parents are off with their traditional games and Naruto would be fast asleep..._

_He was going to tell the girl that he loved her._

_So, here he sits, with Naruto by his side as the loyal friend he is; each holding their presents they wrapped all by themselves on their lap as they sat on the couch in the living room. Naruto was distracted by the Christmas movie that was playing on the large screen, humming along with the claymation characters to the lyrics he knew all too well. Sasuke thought he was being a dobe, not noticing that Sakura was late on Christmas Day, after she promised both of them that she would be there the night before._

_He pouted smugly as he peered out the window, watching the snow fall gently. He was very interested in the winter storm that took place last night, knowing that Sakura would be jumping for joy for the feet of snow to play in and roll around. He loved it when Sakura was happy and playful with both of the boys, especially when the said girl will tackle the eight year-old icecube into the snow, despite his slightly taller height._

_Sakura was going to owe both boys an apology and let them open their presents from her right away._

_"You're in a fussy mood, little bro," Itachi's voice caught his attention. The older child was sitting in their father's armchair, watching the movie with the hyper blond. "You must learn how to be patient."_

_"Hn," Sasuke pouted deeper._

_"Itachi is right, Dattebayo!" Naruto said without looking away from the television. He nudged the fussy kid with his sweatered elbow. "I know how excited you are to see your princess, but watch the movie and relax!"_

_Sasuke's cheeks tinted pink when Naruto called Sakura his 'princess'. Sure, he was stupid enough to play Truth-or-Dare with Naruto last year and got the simple question: 'Who do you like the most in our class?'. Knowing he couldn't cheat his way out of the game, he growled Sakura's name, sending the boy into a frenzy and singing about Sasuke's crush. Actually, it was Naruto himself who suggested Sasuke to confess to the pink haired cutie on Christmas Day; he heard the story of his parents, Minato and Kushina, attending a Halloween party (which was Kushina's most favorite holiday) when his father told his mother how much he loved her and proposed to her._

_Well, Sasuke certainly wasn't going to propose to Sakura, they were still kids after all. But, since Christmas is one of Sakura's most favorite holiday...he certainly wanted to make it special for the particular girl. For many years, girls always chased the Uchiha boy and always want their affection be returned by him; impatient and rude, Sasuke did not aknowledge them. Sakura was different by far; patient and took her time with Sasuke ever since Kindergarden! Since his mother dropped him off on his first day, it was Sakura who confronted him first with a paper boat she made all by herself, offering it to him as to welcome him to his new school. He didn't accept it, and it took until recess that he changed his mind after he saw his close friend, Uzumaki Naruto, playing in the dirt with the girl. Each other them had a paper boat, pink and orange colored, ontop of their mountain of dirt. One boat, the dark blue one, was sitting silently in the clean grass...Sasuke picked up the boat and began to play with the two people, earning the sweetest smile from the pink haired girl as she placed his boat inbetween theirs'._

_The boy's mothers, Kushina and Mikoto, entered the living area with jolly expressions as they set their gingerbread house on the table; sending glances at the boys who gazed with awe at their mother's talent._

_"What do you think, boys?" Mikoto asked sweetly. "Do you like it?"_

_"It's pretty, Auntie!" Naruto gushed with an open mouth. "Mom, you did a awesome job!"_

_"I didn't to it alone, Dattebane!" Kushina's girly voice giggled as she winked at her son. "Although, I really did wish Mebuki-chan made it in time to help. She's the boss at decorating!" He took a seat inbetween the two boys, snuggling against her son in a motherly way, squishing his ribs as she tried to place tender kisses on his cheek. "Mommy deserves a kiss for her hard work!"_

_"Gah! Mom! Not infront of the Teme!" Naruto wailed as he scrambled out of his mother's arms, running into his father's legs (who entered shortly in a cooking apron). "Dad! Mom is trying to eat me!"_

_Kushina's sweet face turned into a shadowy glare at the two blondes, causing Sasuke to leave the couch and hide behind his own mother's back for protection. Kushina has always been known for her scary temper. "My own son thinks I am Babayaga? I only wanted a kiss for my hard work on the gingerhouse!"_

_"You only glued it together, Kushina-chan," Mikoto dared to tease her friend. She giggled harder when Kushina 'humph'-ed and made her way to her husband, yanking him down to her height._

_"Minato-kun, don't a deserve a kiss?" Kushina pouted._

_The husband of the Red Haired Devil only offered his dashing smile before he gave her a sweet kiss. "Kushina-chan did a wonderful job glueing the house together..." he kept pecking her lips and cheeks, ignoring the fussing boy that was still in the middle of them._

_"Ewwy! You guys got cooties!" Naruto stuck out his tongue._

_"Cooties are good for you, Naruto!" his mother cooed as she snuggled against her husband's broad chest. "Your father should be getting an overdose tonight for his Christmas present."_

_Minato let out a pleasurable purr. He let go of his girl and returned to the kitchen, singing his own version of a Christmas carol, "When the weather outside is frightful, but the bed is so delightful..." leaving his only son in a heap of confusion._

_"Tch, parents are wierd," Sasuke spoke out loud. His older brother nodding in agreement when their own mother sent off her warning smile...the kind that would sent shivers up their spines. "Mom, is Sakura here yet?"_

_"No, dear," Mikoto answered. "They should have called if they were running late... Kizashi isn't the kind to forget where the cabin is, after all."_

_"Maybe their car broke down in the storm, so they settled at the inn in town!" Kushina chirped. "You know Mebuki-chan, she would refuse to accept a broken down car with Sakura in there! She'd be bored to death."_

_"True."_

_The sound of the landline phone sparked everyone in the rooms' curiosity. The sound of Minato calling for Fugaku to pick up since he was busy cooking the Christmas Feast (that Minato has been doing like a true man for years). The loud grunt of the asked man echoed as his slippered feet entered the kitchen, sending the wives into a frenzy of snickers, reminded that Fugaku was busy resting in his room that he shared with his wife._

_"Tired him out, did ya?" Kushina poked her friend's ribs, trying to tickle her. "Minato and I barely slept last night because of you two!"_

_"What can I say? Uchiha men don't stop until the job is done," Mikoto purred. "But remember, you, Mebuki and I share a more pleasurable relationship."_

_Kushina mewled as she glomped her dear friend. Yes, they bullied their husbands, the three of them, with a fantasy relationship that the three girls met a pact in college; placing their souls to be eternally theirs. All of this was Mikoto's idea, to your surprise, and it still bothers all the men to this day! Kushina was considered the Uke in the fantasy OTP, Mebuki being in the middle and Mikoto the all Seme, making the two women bow down to her superior rank. The children never understood what was really going on...it's adult stuff after all._

_Fugaku poked his head around the wall where the kitchen was, a blank expression was featured on his masculine face. "Mikoto...it's the hospital in town, they're asking for you." Uchiha Mikoto is the prized doctor surgeon in Japan, having her name known by her first job as serving in her college's infirmary and saved lives of young adults who had a horrible accident in the Science Building. Her partner, Mebuki herself, have worked along side her and let Kyoto's main hospital name the dark haired beauty head doctor. Whenever she is out of town, or on vacation in a different city, she lets hospitals know of her whereabouts incase of an emergency._

_Mikoto winked at her two sons and scurried into the kitchen, pecking Fugaku's cheek in thanks before taking the phone. "Doctor Uchiha speaking, you asked for my presence?"_

_Kushina sat on the rug by the armchair, letting her son sit on her cozy lap as she let herself get taken in by the claymation movie her son was drooling at moments before, humming with Naruto with the next song that came out of nowhere._

_"Aunty Kushina, how is your modeling business coming with Yamanaka?" Itachi asked politely, letting the women's mind split with the song to speak to the gentlemen._

_"It's going wonderful. She has been bringing her daughter along to come up with cute little ideas. I found out that she's a friend of Sakuras' as well, Dattebane! I never knew Sakura would be friends with a fashionista!" Kushina laughed as she snuggled her boy while he was distracted. "I think her name is Ino."_

_"Ah, I've seen her," Itachi nodded. "She bullies the boys with an iron fist with Sakura, from what I've been seeing." He eyes his brother who tried to reach up to tackle him, but failed with the traditonal trick of poking his forehead. _

_"I think they could be the next Mikoto and Kushina; Partners in Crime!" Kushina pumped a fist into the air. "I wish I had daughters to join them...Mikoto, too! Itachi, why can't you be a lady and lead the girls into the next generation of women?"_

_Itachi sweat-dropped at the redhead's plea, going silent and turning his attention back to the movie. He is a true gentlemen, indeed, but women tend to leave him just as confused as the husbands did when the three women would stay in the same room, deserting their men._

_The Uzumakis' were signing along with the movie, having Itachi hum along to the tune with his little brother on his lap, tapping his foot to try and get Sasuke to join the jolly mood. He knew his little brother was still crabby about a certain someone not here to join them before their lunch, but he can't change it._

_It wasn't until the clang of the phone being slammed back into the reciever that jolted everyone to turn their heads, watching as Mikoto rush into the room and pull on her friend's sweater, forcing her to release her son and stand up with a confused and feared expression on her tomato-shaped face._

_"Mikoto-chan! What's wrong?" Kushina fussed as she dug her fuzzy socks into the rug to halt the hurrying Uchiha woman. "Calm down! What happened, dear?"_

_"They have been in a accident," Mikoto sobbed while speaking fast. "They found their car a half hour ago and they have her in the hospital; I need you to drive me over there! Fugaku's car is stuck in the garage!"_

_"Wait, wait!" Kushina held Mikoto's shoulders tight, reasurring her friend that calm was the first priority to the Doctor Field. "Whos' been in a accident?"_

_"Mebuki!" Mikoto cried out, not caring if she had the children in the room. All heads turned to the crying woman as she gripped Kushina's maroon sweater tightly. "They were on their way here __**last night **__and a drunk driver hit them downhill!"_

_"__**What**__?" Kushina screeched in shock, her violet eyes widen. "Are they okay?"_

_Mikoto only shook her head, her speak was sputtered. "I-I don't-! I don't know! They w-wouldn't say until I came over!" She pulled on her friend's arm harshly. "Please! We have to go!"_

_Fugaku and Minato came into the room, picking up Naruto and Sasuke off from their rumps and signaled Itachi to get up. "We will get the car in the garage out and meet you guys there, Kushina," Fugaku announced as he gently pushed the two women towards the front door. "Don't worry about it, just go."_

_Sasuke didn't get what was going on. All he could take was that Sakura was in the hospital and that she was most likely really hurt..._

_That didn't rest well to Sasuke._

_=xxx=_

_Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto scrambled after the thirteen year-old Uchiha, asking Itachi thousands of questions that he didn't have the answer for as she walked down the hallway of the low-income hospital. The town their cabin took place in was only a few miles north of a small town, or village, that was originally made for tourists of the holidays; the hospital wasn't like the one in Kyoto, with professionals at every floor and high-tech equipment. It was one floor, and wasn't really well kept; the floors were really dust and IV stands just stood in the middle of the hallway instead of in a medical closet._

_"Where did Mom go, Nii-san?" Sasuke asked as he bat his brother's arm._

_"Hey, can we see Sakura-chan yet?" Naruto hopped by Itachi's side._

_"What will happen to Sakura, Nii-san?"_

_"Wheres' the bathroom?"_

_Itachi could have popped a blood vessel by now. "I don't know anything, you guys! Look! Theres' your parents, go bother them!" With that, the older boy took off behind them when the adults saw the kids make their way to them. "They're your problem now!"_

_"Come here, boys," Kushina beckoned with a graceful hand, her voice was soft and not energetic as it usually would be placed. She pulled Naruto into her arms and snuggled her face into the boy's soft hair. "Sakura's parents were killed, honey..."_

_Minato caught his son when he shoved away from his own mother. "Son, a very stupid man made a mistake and hit their car... Sakura fell out of her seat." He pat Naruto's head to keep him from talking while the boy tried to scream. "She woke up a while ago; I want you to be polite with her and don't make her cry."_

_All this news made a hard twist in Sasuke's chest as he turned to his father. "D-does...she know?" He took a step closer to Fugaku's side when Naruto burst through the blue curtain that took place for a door. "Is Mom helping her?"_

_Fugaku nodded. "Your mother is checking the reports they made of the accident. Sakura is very quiet right now, but she is done crying..."_

_Sasuke couldn't help but tug on his father's sleeve, his lower lip quivered as his black eyes began to coat a layer of tears that he refused to let out. "B-but..."_

_Fugaku, for only of this time for his son and his own emotions, knelt to his son's height and pulled him into arms, hugging so tightly that it let a gust of air leave Sasuke's lungs. His father's large hand raked through his black hair, burying his face into his shoulder. "Don't ask questions, Sasuke..."_

_=xxx=_

_Sasuke entered the crappy hospital room after he let his father hold him for nearly a half hour. He let his father sob into his neck for mourning of his partner and dear friend until Minato gestured him to the small lobby to drink coffee with Kushina hugging his other arm tightly. He decided that he would join the hyper blond into the room where his secret crush was._

_He saw Naruto sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, talking ninety miles an hour with the quiet girl who laid silently under the thin blanket. Her pink hair was matted with crusty brown stuff, little patches of dried blood still lingered on the beautiful pink hair that he had grown to love; stitches and wraps where nearly on every exposed skin the little girl had with wearing cheap, paper clothes the hospital changed her into when she arrived. He slowly walked over and met the blond's blue eyes, giving him an unsure expression in his eyes._

_Naruto paused his conversation and looked back to Sakura. "Ne, I'm gonna see now my folks are doing, Sakura-chan. Sasuke is here to watch over you, okay?" He hopped down from the springy bed and saluted. "See ya in a bit, Dattebayo!" With that said, the hyper child ran out of the room, pushing the curtain out of his way._

_Uchiha Sasuke's face turned to the tattered angel in the bed, cautiously climbing up onto the mattress and crossed his legs to sit across from her. She was tiny, and only took up half of the bed while sitting up, so he had perfect room to roam comfortably. He bit back a single sob when he saw her beautiful jade eyes tired and sparkling at him._

_"Hey Sasuke-kun," her whispering voice made his chest twist sharply. "I'm sorry I didn't make it ontime last night. I know how you hate to wait."_

_Sasuke's throat tightened. "It's okay..."_

_She smiled warmly, ignoring the pinches in her cheeks at the sticky band-aid moved unaturally. She pulled her unwrapped arm (still had many stitches and band-aids on it, of course) up into the air and hesitantly reached out to him, touching his sweatshirt and tugging him to come closer. He complied and crawled his way to lay against the risen mattress just as she was; allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder and wrap her arm around his. He could smell the scent of blood and car oil in her hair, unable to smell the sweet scent he adored whenever she hugged him in the morning at school._

_Sakura closed her eyes as she sighed into his warmth, snuggling her sore skull against him. "Sasuke-kun, I asked if the Christmas presents managed to stay in one place... They didn't." She felt her eyelids get really heavy as sleep began to overcome her. "I got Naruto that new videogame he always wants, but it is smashed up and broken... I got you that guitar you saw at the music store last month, remember? You played it in the store and said you liked it?"_

_Sasuke and his friends were deep into the music passion; playing with instruments was their favorite passtime and listen to the radio in Itachi's room after school. Sasuke was able to play the guitars and piano, as well as having a good singing voice. Sakura had the most beautiful voice when it came to singing along with the radio, so well that it made hearts melt on whoever heard her; she was also learning how to play the piano and bass and is flying through the stars with it. Naruto was the best at bass and electric guitar, having an acceptable voice, but not as well as the two. The trio plan on starting their own garage band as soon as they get a guitar for Sasuke, the one he would like to play, since Itachi was the head singer in his own band he started last year with his friends._

_"I got it for you, but it's all smushed now..." Sakura's tired voice cracked. "I will try and get you another one when I feel better, okay?"_

_"It's okay, Sakura," Sasuke said calmly. "Don't worry about it." He heard her breathes even out and slow as she felt into a deep slumber. Letting himself move his head to brush his lips against her stained hair, kissing her head as gently as he could._

_In her sleep, Sakura started shuddering in her shoulders, whimpering lightly in her sleep as she clung to Sasuke's sweatshirt while tears dripped off her closed lashes. The tear stains on his clothes signaled for him to wrap his arm around her and start humming a relaxing song to the slumbering flower._

_Uchiha Sasuke told himself that he would tell Sakura next Christmas...maybe. Right now, at that very moment, he wanted nothing more then to stop her tears._

**Age 13, Summer**

_The carnival was the most busiest place in the Summer, people crowding at vendors and rides to take either their kids or dates on to have a great time. Sakura was next to her two girlfriends, Yamanaka Ino and Hyuuga Hinata, watching as the boys shoot pellets with cheap rifles at plates. They all cheered as they battled against one another to win the prize first; doing their best to aim, Sasuke, Naruto and Shikamaru, sent quick glances of war to each other. The bell went off shortly after to signal the contestants to stop firing._

_"The lucky winner for this round is this young lad!" the vendor instructor pointed to Shikamaru, swaying his other hand to the shelves that were swamped with stuffed animals. "Pick any prize you want, kid!"_

_The lazy preteen pointed to the pink puppy with a heart outline on it's eye. After receiving the award, he passed it onto the jumping blond girl who began snuggling him. "Hope you're happy, Ino. Those were my last tickets."_

_"Yes!" Ino squealed, shaking her hips in her purple sundress. She pecked his cheek. "Arigato, Shika-kun!"_

_"Man, I wanted to win something!" Naruto groaned. "I wanted to give Hinata a present, too!"_

_The said girl hid behind Sakura's long pink tresses, hiding her blushing face as she fidgeted around. "A-a-ano..!"_

_Sakura pushed her very long hair out of Hinata's eyes, offering the two a sweet smile. "There is always next time, Naruto! Hinata can wait, you know."_

_"Y-yes," Hinata agreed quietly._

_The blond boy laughed and threw his arms behind his head, feeling confident as he let his blue eyes twinkle. "Ne, I know! I don't lose so often anyhow!" he flex his chest under his bright orange shirt. "I'm like my father! Winner as always!"_

_"Hn," Sasuke mumbled mockingly, "after my father beats yours' at every poker game..." He placed the air-rifle back on the table and made his way over to his group._

_"Teme," Naruto hissed, smacking the back of Sasuke's shoulder._

_"Ne! We're going to check out the animals," Ino announced as she began pulling Shikamaru away from the little crowd, ignoring the preteens groans of displeasures and his mumbles of 'annoying woman'. "We will meet you guys back at the van in time for fireworks!"_

_"Don't do anything that would end in a mistake!" Sakura yelled at the top of her lungs as Naruto laughed along with her. She was rewarded by the pale blond with the middle finger as she blew a kiss back to her friend. "Those two can't hide forever."_

_"I agree..." Hinata chipped in as she hugged Sakura's arm for comfort. The girl was not used to crowded areas and always needed to be close to one of her friends; despite her having a deep crush on Uzumaki Naruto since the fifth grade, she lets him hold her hand when she gets her anxiety attacks._

_"Bah, we will beat it out of Shikamaru later, right Sasuke?" Naruto laughed while elbowing the dark haired punk. He didn't get a straight answer, so he kept elbowing him until Sasuke swat his hand away. "You hit like my mom, Teme! How disappointing in a guitarist!"_

_"Careful Naruto," Sakura hummed while waving a finger. "Sasuke-kun is still the champion in that arm wrestling contest you two had on Thursday in History, remember?" She heard the blue haired cutie giggle at the memory of the two ignoring the teacher's yelling and threats of detention if they didn't stop their 'contest'._

_"Hai Sakura-chan," Naruto nodded. He peeked over her shoulder to see the pale eyes sparkling at him, Hinata's cheeks were deep red as the blond smiled toothly in response. "Ne, Hinata-chan! How about I take you over to another game and win you something there? Sakura-chan wanted to do the Ferris Wheel, but I hate heights, Dattebayo!"_

_Sasuke almost snort at this; Naruto was never afraid of heights, in fact, he loved the tallest roller coasters he could find at the amusement park and the extreme swings. With the look Naruto was giving the dark haired punk, he knew it was part of the blond's special plan to give him alone time with Sakura. He still hasn't expressed his feelings to the sweet natured pinkette, and this is the perfect place to do it...as Naruto said he saw in a movie._

_"A-ano...I-I don't-" the poor girl didn't have a chance to reject him with Naruto literally carrying her away from the two, leaving Sakura confused by Naruto's actions and Sasuke to sigh. "Naruto-kun! I-I can walk... I-I'm gonna faint!"_

_"Those two are so cute," Sakura cooed girly, patting her cheeks. "I hope Naruto asks her out soon!"_

_"Hn," Sasuke muttered uninterested as always. He tilted his chin upward when Sakura faced his way, starting to walk towards the short line of the Ferris Wheel. "You got enough tickets to get on?"_

_"Yep! I always save my last tickets for it," Sakura showed the orange strip of tickets she pulled out of her shoulder bag. Decorated with her favorite rock and punk bands, it was her favorite present from Auntie Kushina last year. _

_"Good," Sasuke nodded as he took them out of her finger's soft grip, giving hers' and his to the ticket master. He pointed them to an open car, specially made for two people per ride. Taking her small hand, Sasuke pulled her towards their decided car and let her in first. He got in afterwards and had the door closed and secured before take off._

_"I'm always so excited for this ride," Sakura chirped childishly. "It always makes my heart beat faster!" She pat her collarbone gently as she smiled at her dear friend, throwing a look in question if he felt the same._

_"Hn, it's nothing new to me," Sasuke lazily commented, causing the pink haired girl to stick her tongue out at him. "What? It's not that exciting." He shrugged his shoulders with his signature smirk._

_"Emo. That's what you are, Sasuke-kun, you're a emooo!" she sang in a soprano note while poking his shin with her sandaled foot, suddenly peeking over the edge to look at the bird's-eye-view. "Ohh, look! I can see van from here, Sasuke-kun! Look over there!" She let out a shaking breath, pointing a shaking hand out to seek it out. "Ohh, my heart is hammering!"_

_"Don't fall over, Sakura," Sasuke teased. He wasn't getting a straight answer from the girl, causing him to grumble a little. "Sakura, get your head back in before they see you and make you get off."_

_They were at the tip top of the wheel, stopping the car with Sakura's pink head still hanging over, unable to let her face be seen by Sasuke. She slowly brought her hand back to her lap, gripping on her red sundress as her knuckles were shaking in a odd rhythm. Sasuke raised a perfect brow as he watched her hand shake._

_"Sakura, don't look down if it's going to make you nervous," he chuckled as he leaned over and took hold of her hand, gripping it gently to ease the shakes. "Hey, I have something important I want to tell you. Can you look over here?"_

_A movement of Sakura's head dropped down, jerking her shoulders upward and caused Sasuke to blink in surprise. A light gasp escaped Sakura's lips when she gripped his hand back very tightly, inhaling sharply._

_"Sakura...move your head away," Sasuke intructed in a soft voice, bringing his other hand to reach over and touched her chin to bring her head back. "Look at me and calm down."_

_Once he brought her face back to examine, he noticed right away that her fair skin was three shades lighter; looking sickly pale and drooping eyes, even her once pink lips were now a very faint shade a purple. His eyes widened a bit when he saw the nausea expression she had on her pretty face, her bangs sprawling all over her forehead from the gust of wind that brushed through them._

_"Sakura, what's wrong? Are you feeling ill?" Sasuke pressed his palm to her pale cheek, making the quiet girl to shiver hard under his touch. He pulled that hand away and pushed her bangs out of her eyes to check her temperature: her skin felt very hot to his fingers, her eyes drooped to blink very slowly as he placed his hand on her shoulder, gripping tight. "Sakura...say something. Do you feel like you want to get off?"_

_Sakura's once sweet, singing voice was now very quiet and cracked as she spoke to him. It was scaring Sasuke how sickly she sounded. "Sasuke-kun..?" Her eyesight seemed to be unfocused on him._

_"I'm here, Sakura. What is wrong?"_

_Her pupils roamed around tiredly, suddenly looking over to meet the Uchiha's black gems. A sad look reached her lips as she tried to smile at him. "Sasuke-kun...my chest hurts."_

_Time seemed to freeze as Sasuke watched Sakura cough, bright red liquid spilled out from her lips as she gagged on the blood. Her upper body slumped forward, letting Sasuke's instinct reacted to catch her and hold her upright and pull her into his lap. Her eyes were closed once he pushed her long hair away from her face and neck, sending Sasuke into a screaming state._

_"SAKURA!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, his arms wrapping around her upper body as she faintly coughed more substances of blood, trying to wipe it away with his hand as he also pat her cheeks. "SAKURA! WAKE UP! LOOK AT ME!"_

_The sound of his heartbeat thumped in his ears, tears swelling in his eyes as he looked around to see that the car hasn't moved; looking over the edge with a desperate look on his face, he yelled to the ground as loud as his lungs could take it._

_"SOMEONE CALL 911 NOW! SHE'S BLEEDING!"_

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter One- Things Left Unsaid

The sound of the drumbeat pumped behind Sasuke's body, keeping along with the beat by tapping his foot on the tiled floor of the auditorium as he played his fingers expertly on the wired string of his black electric guitar. He bopped his head as Naruto filled in next to him with the signal to finish off the practiced song; nodding his head to him as he tightened his grip to the spine of his instrument and grab on to the microphone stand.

_"We're goin' out tonight!"_ Sasuke's voice pressed into the mic as Naruto screamed 'Hey!' into his own.

_"To kick out every light!"_

_"Hey!"_

_"Take anything we want!"_

_"Hey!"_

_"Take everything in sight!"_

_"Hey!"_

Naruto jumped on his toes as he and Sasuke shared the last lyrics before they hit their ending guitar and bass solo.

"_We're goin' til the world stops turnin'_

_Burn it to the ground tonight!"_

The strings of Sasuke's guitar could've burned his fingers if they weren't tough enough, but he had no trouble whatsoever as he and Naruto struck their guitar chips and Suigetsu's drums slamming on the last beat. Suddenly halting all their moves, they let the echo of the instruments reached to the back doors until all was quiet for them to relax their shoulders, laughing out loud at their little audience began clapping wildly.

"Bravo!" Ino screamed against the claps as she stood up from her seat. "That was great, boys!"

Hinata nodded fast with a bright smile planted on her face as Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders lazily. "It was good, but I think you were offbeat at the drums, Suigetsu."

"Fuck you, man!" the white haired teen threw his drumstick at the lazy bum, aiming perfectly on his gut and let out a triumphant cry. "Woot! Take that, sucka!"

"Sui, don't break my boyfriend!" Ino growled feline-like, taking the stick away from the sore man and chuck it back at him. "Hurt his belly again and I'll rip those fake fangs out of your mouth with my father's pliers!"

"Touchy," Naruto hummed mockingly as he jumped off the stage and jogged to the front row to jump Hinata. "Gimme a hug for a great performance, Hinata!" He flung himself to the squealing girl as he snuggled his face into her long hair.

"N-N-Naruto-kun! I can't breathe!" Hinata squirmed under him and giggling as she pecked his hot cheek.

Suigetsu was starting to disconnect his drumset to place in the case when he saw the youngest Uchiha already carrying his guitar case on his back. "Leaving so soon, Sasuke?" the white haired man smirked teasingly. "You know you can hang out with us for just five more minutes. I miss my bastard-buddy!"

"No can do," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I have homework to do and a text message from Mother. Her patient isn't eating the hospital food."

"Who would want to?" Naruto called out as he got off his girlfriend. "Auntie may have a job at the best hospital in Kyoto but the food sucks monkey butt!" He made a fake gag noise as he shook his arms around. "Remember when I ate those mashed yams when I broke my leg?"

"The yams that were two weeks expired and Mother was going to throw them out until you saw them? Yes, I remember, Dobe," Sasuke sighed as he jumped off the stage with ease. "You were puking for days after that."

"A-ano...but I helped you out," Hinata tugged Naruto's sleeve, making him smile and wrap his arm around her waist. "I made you my homemade soup to help your belly."

"You did! Your food does wonders, Dattebayo!" Naruto roared. He pulled his bass guitar off from his arm and held it up like a trophey. "See ya later, Teme! Get me a bowl of their chili if you can!"

"No," Sasuke replied as he left the auditorium, purposly slamming the door to make the blond man groan and curse outloud. He smirked widely as he made his way into the school's parkinglot and locating his car. He opened his trunk and carefully set his guitarcase inside next to his backpack and piles of thick textbooks, sighing quietly as he shut it and dug out his carkeys from his pocket. He started the engine and instantly turning his radio to his favorable station, the one that played rock, alternative and some punk. He tapped his fingers on the wheel as he pulled out of his spot and entered into the road that led into a easy way into the freeway.

Uchiha Sasuke was now eighteen years-old and is a Honors Senior at his school, a hard-working classmate that focuses on his studies and is admired by every underclassmen and adored by every female (and even some men) in the student body; possessing the seductive looks of the Uchiha bloodline and had the cool attitude like his father, this particular teenager was the heartthrob to any girls. He played in the community knowned band, called _Shippuden, _and had the bandmates of his close friends of Uzumaki Naruto for bass and back-up voice, Suigetsu for drums, and their newest member of a friend, Juugo, has shown his talen with light effects and stage set-ups. He usually attended twice a week since he also joined the High School's wrestling club, thus taking up a lot of time for workouts. Suigetsu is in other clubs as well, but he ditches them to hide from his girlfriend of one year and Naruto's distant relative, Karin.

Sasuke started the band with the trio of Naruto and Sakura back when they were just ten years-old; taking his older brother's music equipment and exploring the sounds and ideas of tunes in their garage, causing the neighbors to call the household and yell at the head of the household to pipe it all down at once. They practiced at school in the music room up until they reached High School, were the principal was kind enough to lend the auditorium keys to the three...things changed over Freshman year, having the Shippuden band bring in new members while one was forced to leave, but it was alright with the missing bandmate and adored Suigetsu's humor whenever they met up. The youngest Uchiha usually had to make the sharky-like man to act more mature whenever people came up to them with questions for their next public performance and when they will become famous.

Itachi has already blossomed with his own band, the Akatsuki, into the music business with the help of their father's popularity; having a manager that gets them gigs for their first two months, and now is traveling cross-country with all of his members for most of the school year. Sasuke chats with him on the phone frequently before getting ready for bed and IM during his class; he was jealous of his older brother graduating and taking off with his band without him...

Sasuke's cell phone went off, vibrating annoyingly in his pocket as he fished it out. He pressed the 'Talk' button and pressed the phone to his ear; hearing the backround noise of people chatting and scurrying around with the hyper voice of a woman he knew all too well.

"Sasu-chan! Hurry up, I think I'm going to pop a blood vessel," Mikoto whined. "It's really pissing me off!"

"Yes Mother," Sasuke said calmly. "Just go to the lounge and take a break. I'm pulling into the ramp as we speak."

"Goody!" his mother's voice perked up. "Then it will be your problem now! Byebye, Sasu-chan, Mommy loves you lots!" He parked perfectly on the third floor and killed the engine to his car, getting out swiftly as he opened the trunk once more to yank his black backpack over his shoulder while shutting it once more with a slam. He walked into the lobby room and pressed 'Up' on the elevator.

It took a moment before the doors opened for him and allowed him to walk into the box and hit the top floor button, waiting another few moments for the elevator to carry the silent man to his requested floor. He exited into the busy hallway of the hospital, missing the nurse that was running passed him from colliding.

Mikoto was currently employed to the top floor of Kyoto's greatest hospital; the surgeon and critical conditons floor where his mother takes charge of everything she can get her hands on. The woman was a touch cookie and prefered to work late at night to make sure all her patients were comfortable before going to sleep, being well-fed and improving with their self-confidence to heal. Sasuke was proud of how his mother was becoming a famous doctor around the Asia countries, getting awards for improving health and decrease mortality rate in Kyoto with her written book on how to live a healthier life. Fugaku always spoiled his wife with 'special' nights where he takes her out to the city and gives her a fine dinner and dance, along with...other things that Sasuke prefers not to speak of. Anyway, Sasuke usually helps his mother out when she can, usually when she calls or texts him about a patient who was being stubborn with her.

And there was only one patient who would be immune to Mikoto's doctor oders.

Sasuke walked into a room that had the door decorated with children's art projects, getting mauled by a small body with long arms wrapping around his neck and nearly caused him to fall back. He gripped to the doorhenges and balanced the extra weight that was forced unpon him.

"Sasuke-kuuun!" a female voice screamed in his ear. "Auntie Mikoto told me you were coming over. But I thought she was lying!" Sakura snuggled her face against his cheek, making the Uchiha try to control his blush as he straightened up.

"I always come after practice, Sakura," Sasuke muttered as he gripped her thin waist and gently pushed her off of him. "Especially when I get a call when you're not eating full meals."

That made Sakura yank her short pink hair in anger. "I wasn't hungry! I told the nurses and Mikoto-chan that many, many times, Cha!" she was now in a hissy-fit, a very bad road to be on with this particular girl. But Sasuke could tamed the beast easily. "And today's meals were not edible; it taste like rubber and shoe!"

"Glad to know you eat shoes," Sasuke smirked teasingly, earning a playful punch from the girl. "Easy now, all your troubles will be solved shortly." He tossed his backpack to the chair and watched as the hyperactive girl jump to where the pack laid quietly to be attacked. He watched with an amused look as Sakura ripped the zippers open and began digging through the notebooks and papers that dirtied it, chuckling when he heard her whisper 'baka needs to clean this bag!' from the girl before she let out a happy gasp.

She pulled out a container that could be see-through of the lid, seeing the contents of iced cake with decoration of frosting and sprinkles as she bounced in her pajama shorts and sports bra. "Fugaku-sama made caaake!"

Sasuke nodded once. "He made it last night and he figured you should finish it since I hate sweets."

"How can you not like Fugaku-sama's cooking? Especially his cakes! They're made from heaven, Sasuke-kun," Sakura rambled as she hugged the container with a cheerful smile of her non-makeup face. She hugged the spikey haired boy tightly before hopping to her hospital bed and grabbed a spork from the little desk that held her water. "Thank you sooo much, Sasuke-kun!"

He shrugged thoughtfully as he made his way over to sit on the edge of the bed, watching as the pink haired cutie opened her package and began eating with manners. "How was your testing today?"

Sakura swallowed her first mouthful of cake before answering. "I ran for thirty minutes and my heartbeat was normal...but later I ended up coughing uncontrollably and spitting blood, as usual," she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "But my health is still stable!"

"Good," Sasuke nodded approvingly, letting the girl eat a few more forkfull of the baked good before looking over at the small TV that was playing a program. "What have you been watching?"

"Human Anatomy," she answered. "It's the episode when they show the process of the heart and the medical diseases that can be fatal to it."

"Ah, but you watched this five times already," he grunted. Sasuke was poked with Sakura's painted foot in a teasing sense of how he was keeping track of what she watched. "What? You have, and you even took the online quiz and passed with flying colors."

"So?"

"So, you should watch something else besides re-runs of medical shows, like Reality Shows on those...rich girls or something. Drama shows!" Sasuke snapped his fingers. He smirked at the discusted face she pulled.

"Eww, those shows are totally fake," Sakura gagged. "I prefer something educational or ABC movies that play on the weekends."

"I know, I know," Sasuke nodded.

"Then don't say crap like that and get me going!" Sakura pouted and finished the last bite of cake, hearing the mutter of Sasuke's 'eating like she never seen food...' and giggled sweetly as she set the tub on the desk. "Thank you again, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke nodded quietly as Sakura pulled her socked feet to cross her legs, picking the rainbow fabric of her socks. He looked up to see her smiling cheekly, rocking side-to-side; raising a perfect brow in question for her movements. She giggled harder at his questionable expression.

"Naruto texted me that you tried the new song today!" Sakura clapped childishly. "How did it go?"

"It went good," Sasuke smiled shaking his head. "I don't see why you're so excited over it."

"Because you wrote that song _all by yourself!_"Sakura pumped a fist. "Without Naruto or Itachi's help, that is why I'm so excited! I can't wait to hear it."

"You'll have to eat more to be accepted to leave hospital grounds, Sakura," Sasuke reminded her as he reached over and began poking around her ribcage, causing the victim the squirm and thrash around. "You're way too thin and I refuse to stuff your face with cake. Eat more food!"

"Ehh!" Sakura laughed as she was being tickled, falling back on the firm mattress and trying to push his hands away; Sasuke got on his knees and hovered over her, continuing to tickle her as she cried. "Stop it, Sasuke-kun! Sto- Ahahaha! Stop it! I'm going to bite you!" Sakura only gave him an extra give seconds before taking hold of his writst and brought it to her lips, chomping her perfect teeth onto his palm.

"Oww!" Sasuke hissed with a laugh. "No biting, bad girl." He wiggled his index finger infront of her face, teasing her sparkling pupils as they followed his finger. "Naughty, naughty!"

"I gave you the warning, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed as she pushed him away and sat back up. "You're the one who doesn't listen for shit!"

"True," Sasuke mused. "But I don't listen to you, so it doesn't matter."

"It does too matter, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura growled, sticking her arms out to him and begging for a hug. He sighed and opened his arms out for her to crawl onto his lap, hugging him lovingly as she eyed his opened backpack. "Do you have any homework from Science?"

"Hai," Sasuke said as he held Sakura's waist gently. "But you're not doing the whole worksheet for me like that time. Sensei figured out that I haven't been doing Anatomy work in _pink _pen, you know."

Sakura stifled a round of giggles as she hid her face in his neck. "You should've let me borrow your pen, Sasuke-kun!"

"I don't like sharing," Sasuke grunted lowly. He gently pushed the giggling girl back onto the mattress and made his way over to grab his backpack, picking it up and set his needed items on Sakura's desk. "You can help me out, but you're not writing anything on here, got it?"

"Whatever," Sakura smiled as she picked up the Science textbook from his pack and began scanning through the pages all at once. Sasuke watched her halt on the chapter that was titled 'Human Anatomy', reminding himself that Sakura herself wants to be a doctor someday and work alongside with Mikoto in the hospital. He hid his smiled when she kicked her legs around as she began reading the chapter for the umpteenth time.

After the incident when they were only thirteen years-old, Sakura was taken straight to the hospital after a bystander heard Sasuke's screaming; having Mikoto in the ER to check on the girl she knew since she was a newborn to find out that she had _years _worth of an infection in her lungs and heart; causing to bleed when her heartrate went up rapidly and was unable to bring it back down, and driving the young girl into a seizure. Mikoto discovered after twenty-four hours of examination that the infection was caused when the accident killed her two parents and the drunk driver, leaving Sakura hours without medical attention. The hospital, that Sakura was taken straight to when she was found, did not do a thorough exam of her insides to see if there was any stitching to be done, leaving the wounds untreated and unhealthy bacteria slowly growing into her system.

Ever since that accident, Sakura has been in and out of the hospital for treatment and emergencies that require her an over-night stay. Feeling the motherly nature that Mikoto possessed for the sweet girl, she took care of Sakura's insurance and _bought _her a room on the top floor to keep a close eye on her: filling the payments of her treatment, medications and vitamins, examinations and shot were all paid by the Uchiha and Uzumaki family. Sakura only has a elderly grandmother from her father's side of the family, Miss Chiyo, who lives in Kyoto as well; but the elderly sweetheart was not always able to pay for everything, so the family friends of Mebuki and Kizashi took the honor in helping Sakura's medical payments. Chiyo was always grateful for the families support for the little girl she loved, and always visited the hospital on the weekends after her puppet club with her other elderly friends and showed the children's ward of her creations. Although, to tell you a secret, it is not Chiyo who visits Sakura the most in the hospital...

It was Sasuke who always visited Sakura, but not as a boyfriend. No, Sasuke never confessed how he felt for Sakura and he didn't plan on telling her anytime soon while she's sick, it just doesn't set well with Sasuke's stomach at all. He wanted his confession to be special for Sakura; like at the carnival or at Christmas when she's at home...the hospital wasn't the right place, or even school when Sakura would go there every once in a great while. He hoped that her treatment will succeed in the next few months before his next performance to the community and would have her feel the same way.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's voice got him out of his thoughts. "You're sitting on the remote. I want to change the channel to the News!"

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE: Holy cheese! What a long entery for this story: two flashbacks all dealing with Sakura's miserable problem... How mean am I? I actually like Sakura's character very much in the manga, but I feel like it's her turn to lose her parents and have her two best friends have their mommies and daddies xD I love Kushina and Mikoto's dirty secret with her husbands, I would totally do that with my friends (who are girls) infront of my husband someday. I really can't wait to add more Mikoto and Fugaku moments~ And let's not forget the almighty Minato and Kushina pairing! You know you love it!

I hope you liked the idea for this story. Theres' gonna be so much dramatic problems and so much romance between SasuSaku due to her illness and his dream to become a famous star like his older brother xD I liked the idea I came up with using Akatsuki and Shippuden for band names. For those you don't know, Shippuden is Japanese for 'Hurricane' and Akatsuki is 'RedCloud' or 'RedMoon' (I prefer RedCloud myself). I decided that Itachi's band is a hardcore rock band, which is one of my favorite music genres, as well as other kinds of rock and metal C: I have yet to choose what kind of band Shippuden will be, but I think the mixutre of songs that are rock, alternative, slight pop, etc... If anyone has any idea what they would like Shippuden to be, and what songs would go well for the band to sing (because I'm using lyrics from other songs for this story; I can't write music lyrics for crap!) that would be wonderful to hear your comments on that x3

The song I used at the beggining of this story is 'Burn It To the Ground' by _Nickleback. _It's a very good song and I listen to it all the time at work while I do my job as an artist C: It's very up and pumping when you're tired. The rights and proptery of this song belong to the rightful owners. I shall announce that at every chapter that has a song in it, with the name and the artist so you can look them up if you wanted!

Anyway, gimme your reviews, follows, favorites and etc! Anything that will please you will please me! See you next chapter! ;D


	2. Chapter 2

... *jumping chibi* I AM SO FREAKIN' HAPPY HOW THE REVIEWS ARE SO INSPIRING FOR ME! I LOVE EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED, FAVORITED, FOLLOWED AND EVEN READ THE FIRST CHAPTER AND DIDN'T DO ANYTHING C; I am very happy with the kind reviews and getting emails of how people are following and favoriting Sing To Me, Baby. I wish I can send you all cupcakes ._. ... but I don't know how and I wouldn't have the money to make cupcakes and ship them to wherever you all live ono; I'm sorry, but you know Kitty...she's not good at many things involving with money! xD My schooling is starting to take its course into giving me pounds of homework and projects to work on at home, so my updates for all my stories may be late on updates every Friday to every-other Friday, or so. That, as of again, I am sorry for the news...but everyone hates homework as much as I do. I hope you will all be patient with me like I would for every story I wait to be updated x3 With that, updates would come sooner then you'd think!

Replies to First Chapter's Reviews that deserve a reply~

Strawberry000- First, I love your name! It makes me hungry for strawberries myself, ne! ;D Thank you very much for your heartwarming words of encouragment. I actually didn't mean to make the first chapter so long...oh well! I'm glad you saw the good side of it! C: I can't wait to hear from you with the future chapters of Sing To Me, Baby and smile everytime I read them ;w; You make me a happy fuzzball!

Yuuki-Hime_2097- Thank you for the sweet comment ;w; Sorry if I made you cry, but I must be honest with you, I am happy I made you cry at the beginning xD In a good way, I hope! I wouldn't want to make you cry in a bad way with uber-sad stories...it's not okay with me e3e. Uhm, I have not actually thought Sasori and Sakura being distant relatives, honestly, but I thank you for the idea C: I can say that Sasori is in the story for sure, in Itachi's band that travels around currently, so he's not present in the current chapters. Sorry about that. I will still ponder the idea of making Sasori and Sakura related, but it may not likely happen (Chiyo is a very protective Grammy and wouldn't let her grandkids leave the country, you know?). BUT I WILL STILL PONDER REALLY HARD! *-*

On another note, I have actually gotten the name from Kiki of the name of the Korean Drama from Kiki! The name of the Drama is: 1 Litre of Tears. You can find the whole movie in English Sub on YouTube if you look it up; check it out if you wanna watch a romantic drama that will...make you cry a RIVER of tears! You won't cry a litre, you will freakin' cry a thunderstorm and need a box of tissues as you need ice cream to drown your sadness for the main protagonists -coughs- Whoops! xD Yes, check it out and enjoy it! For the ones who may have already watched it, or went to watch it after reading this chapter, PLEASE tell me how you thought of it ;D I like opinions of the movie and love hearing your thoughts of it.

I will remind you that my fanfic isn't the exact same as the Drama, but there will be similar things that are both in the Drama and story. So, before I get comments of (ex) 'OH MY GAWD, YOU'RE GONNA DO SO-AND-SO TO BLEH-AND-BLEH?! HOW COULD YOU!11!1!'; I will not be explaining it over and over on how 1 Litre of Tears INSPIRED me to write a fanfic, not copy every single thing that happened owo' Just a heads up! And another fact that I realized I didn't fix all my spelling/slash grammar mistakes ewe I apologize for that and hope that this chapter will be a bit cleaner.

Ne ne! Let's get on with the story so you can stop reading Kitty's rambles about crap that really isn't anything special xD I would like to let you know that I am open to song requests for this FanFic, since I adore music and would LOVE to hear your favorite songs! Leave a PM or a Review note to let me know and I will consider the song to heart C: Kitty gets fuzzbally when she hears new music for her story!

*DISCLAIMER- THIS NUTCASE CHICK DOES NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY SONGS THAT WERE FEATURED IN THIS CHAPTER; ALL PROPERTY BELONGS TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS AND SHE ADMITS THAT THEY ARE NOT HERS', SO YOU REALLY CAN'T SUE HER IF SHE SAID IT'S NOT HERS'*

=xxx=

**Elementary School, Spring**

_Uchiha Sasuke carried his PowerRangers backpack quietly down the deserted hallway of his grade's wing; looking at the rows of drawing that hung on the hallways to look for his. He made it yesterday and kept asking the teacher where exactly he taped the youth's Spring picture so he could show his older brother who waited for him by the playground after his classes. When the teacher said he can't remember every student's picture and where he taped it, the little duck-haired boy decided he will hunt it down once and for all! He was a stubborn little boy, that's for sure, and nothing was going to stop him from finding-_

_The sound of the piano keys made the young boy move his gaze away from the decorated wall to the opened door of the Music Room, where elementary students attend playful music classes and learn how to play cheap instruments like the recorder and bango-drums. The great piano was left to the teacher only, pressing each key to have the kids match the pitch the sound gave; not allowing the students try and play the piano without the teacher present in the room for safety reasons...pianos were expensive after all._

_Anyway, with the facts said, Sasuke was entranced by the pretty notes of a song being played. He heard it once on his father's radio, but didn't remember the song's name without the lyrics. His curiosity was hightened when he heard a female voice starting to hum with the piano before singing in the middle of the song..._

_"And when the broken-hearted people living in the world agree,_

_There will be an answer, let it be_

_For though they may have parted, there is still a chance that they will see_

_There will be an answer, let it be_

_Let it be, Let it be_

_There will be an answer, let it be_

_Let it be, Let it be, Let it be, Let it be_

_Whisper words of wisdom, let it be_

_Let it be, Let it be, Let it be, Let it be..."_

_The voice was angelic to Sasuke's ears, widening his eyes as his feet moved on his own towards the opened door; his upper body peeked over to see the music teacher playing on the piano as if he was already teaching a class, moving his fingers gracefully from side-to-side as every key was played by memory and rocking his head around to the beat of the music the singer standing staight by his bench, holding a music sheet._

_Haruno Sakura stood in her light blue uniformed dress and her navy blue sweater around her shoulders, her back to Sasuke's view; her growing locks swayed as she tilted her head to the sides with every line of lyrics she sang in a beautiful soprano voice, making beautiful notes as Sasuke watched her head snap upward. Thinking he has been seen, he decreased his appearance to his head._

_"Sensei, can I try the Whisper line once more?" Sakura asked kindly as she tugged the teacher's dress shirt. "I have an idea for it to end it..."_

_"Of course, Haruno-chan," the teacher nodded with a approving tone. He halted his performance and started over from the top, waiting for the right part to nod his head for the girl to start._

_If the first time she sang the song didn't catch his attention, then the second time really reached to the deepest pit of his soul, literally making his knees shake in shock and a tint of blush crept up to his cheeks as Sakura whispered in a soft way, as if she was singing to a baby who was falling asleep by her lullaby._

_"Whisper words of wisdom, let it be..." she hugged the lyrics sheet close to her heart before inhaling a gulp of air to raise her volume to sing to the sky. "Let it be, Let it be, Let it be, Let it be-"_

_She halt her singing when the teacher slammed his fingers onto the keyboard, making the young girl jump and step away from the teacher's sudden action. Sasuke watched the teacher raise his hands to clap in applause. "Haruno Sakura, that was the voice of a thousand angels! You, my dear student, have the perfect voice that all famous composers would wish for to sing with their instruments. Bravo, my dear!"_

_Sakura faced the teacher, side-view to the young Uchiha's sight, and dipped lowly to bow. "Arigato, Sensei. I have been practicing just like you've told me to."_

_"You're going to make even the toughest man cry when they hear your voice, kid," the teacher praised the little girl as she giggled. "And I can tell that when you grow older, it's gonna become even more beautiful when you open that doll-like mouth of yours'!" he poked the child's chin to make her giggle more. He closed the cover for the piano and stood up. "Your parents are going to be surprised when conferences come, believe me. They have the most talented girl I have ever seen in years!"_

_"Thank you, Sensei," the girl smiled once more. "I must get going, I promised Ino-chan I would play Pretty Princess with her today!" She hopped on her little feet and hurried to her pink backpack, noticing the shadow by the door as she looked up to see Sasuke watching her every move._

_"Sasuke-kun, I didn't see you there!" Sakura smiled brightly. "How are you doing today?"_

_"Hn," was the only thing he could say, unable to speak with his stuttering of the girl's performance left him speechless after all. His cheeks were still tinted pink as Sakura placed her backpack on her shoulders and stood next to him with a questionable look. He kept his voice even and cool as he talked. "You...sing very good."_

_"Arigato!" the girl smiled brighter, making Sasuke's heart beat faster against his ribcage. "By the way, my seventh birthday is coming up soon, and I was wondering if you and Itachi-chan would like to stop over. It's mostly family friends, but I invited some friends from class. I know you don't like all those girls in our class...but don't worry, they won't be there! They're really troublesome when it comes to the stuff I have in my room." She rolled her eyes playfully as she named off her possessions of PowerRangers and her Halloween costume from last year as Dracula; posters of her and her father's favorite television show that contained tons of action and violence, it was no wonder why she didn't like preppy girls (besides Ino, who is her best friend) nagging about how she has no CDs of Jesse McCartney, Britney Spears and BackStreetBoys in her collection of classical music of Mozart and such._

_"I will see what I can do," Sasuke muttered quietly with a simple nod. He didn't want to look at her pretty face and give away his blushing cheeks, having her obliviously ask if he had a fever or something._

_"Oh, I also saw your art project!" Sakura announced as they walked by their sides and she pointed above the cubbies. "It's that one, isn't it?"_

_Sasuke followed her finger and was surprised to find his crayon drawing of his vision of Spring: green hills and full trees with birds on their branches, a lake filled with colorful boats with Itachi on one of them...three distinct figures of himself, Naruto and Sakura stood on the dock and waving out to the viewer of the drawing, smiles drawn perfectly in red crayon. "Yes, that is the one... You like it?"_

_"Very!" Sakura pouted amusingly. "You drew Naruto's hair perfectly!" They continued walking down the hallway towards the only exit they were aware of that passed to the playground, and it wasn't anywhere close to parkinglots. Sasuke watched the girl walk confidently in her school unfiform, humming the tune that the teacher was playing on the piano._

_Sasuke, at the age of seven, knew from the sound of her voice that she was not like other girls. Sakura was the one who __**felt **__the lyrics in her body as she sang in her angelic voice; putting actual emotions into the chorus that would put any flute to rust if she were to compete agaisnt it. Her personality was brighter then any star he would find in the night sky of the Kyoto city, being happy even when she was in a sad mood to keep her company cheerful; the way she smiled would make stranger's hearts hurt by the sudden surprise of her flawlessness and her cheeks that evenly perked when her lips twitched upward. The way she looked onto life was unlike anyone Sasuke knew, besides his mother who embraced everyday like it was the last, and wanted others to see her view of the beautiful world that was hidden out there somewhere._

_That was the moment Uchiha Sasuke finally concluded that his heart was instinctly set to belong to Haruno Sakura, the girl who always brightened his day with her smile and her singing voice of an angel._

Sing To Me Baby

Chapter Two- What Are the Odds

Sasuke quietly closed his textbook and checked his watch to see that it was going on eight-thirty at night. He had been at the hospital since he got out of band practice at four; pulling out his AP Geometry after Sakura finished her dinner that the nurse delievered to her room. After ten minutes of arguing over the grubby food, Sakura complied to Sasuke's promise of taking her to the music store once she gets out and have a movie marathon of her choices: being one of the legal guardians of Haruno Sakura, Mikoto and Kushina set of a plan that everytime the girl was let out of the hospital, they would stay at either house by turn, since Chiyo was living in the nursing home, she helped pay for groceries on Sakura's part and spent days on weekends with her granddaughter at her room and make puppets. It was the Uchihas' turn to take the pink-haired girl to their mansion to where she had her own room.

Sasuke eyed the slumbering girl that sprawled on her belly of the hospital bed, burying her cheek against her bare arm as she sighed softly of her sweet dream; placing the book on the table, Sasuke wandered over and picked his Science Textbook out of her weak grip. He arranged her free hand to curl by her other, watching with soft eyes as she moved to her side and curled into a little ball with her loose fists to her lips. He always loved watching her sleep, since she would talk in her sleep at times, and try to find something to snuggle. Sakura was the snuggling sleeper who adored to use her extra pillow as a replaced arm when none of her dear friends were present.

He marked with a posted note on Sakura's page and began packing his backpack up with his completed assignments, trying his best to be silent enough to let Sakura sleep in peace. His actions proved worthless as his mother opened the creaking door; cursing in his head that the damn thing should be oiled if possible.

"Oh, she's asleep now?" Mikoto blinked as she saw Sakura sleep. "I didn't give her sleeping medicine... You must've bored her to death, Sasu-chan! How could you do such a thing?"

"It wasn't me, it was my homework that bored her," Sasuke corrected with a cool face. "You know she hates math as much as Naruto hates every subject in school."

"Ah yes," Mikoto nodded with a soft smile, roaming all the way into the room, Sasuke noticed the paper cup filled with numerous medication and vitimans she had to give her special patient every morning and night. "She has stuff to take, so I will be ready to go afterwards."

Sasuke nodded and left the room to stay out of sight. Sakura was the one who would keep Sasuke until she would fall asleep if she was awakened, so Mikoto would push him out of the room before Sakura could cling to her auntie and beg for Sasuke to stay for five more minutes.

"Sakura, baby," Mikoto's motherly voice was heard to Sasuke as he heard her black heels click on the tiled floor, "you have your night meds."

The soft groan of Sakura's throat nearly made Sasuke smile and laugh. Too bad he was too cool to do such a 'Naruto-Thing'. He heard the weak sheets crinkle as he heard her take the plastic cup, take in all her meds at once and chug down the cup of water. "Arigato, Mikoto-chan... Have a good night, ne?"

"Um!" Mikoto giggled as she pecked Sakura's forehead. "We will try running tomorrow and then yoga..." Mikoto left the room and turned out the light in Sakura's room before closing the door quietly as she good. She smiled at her youngest son and motioned a hand to follow her down the hallway to her office.

Mikoto's office was the largest in the hospital, but certainly not the cleanest; she would have mountains of papers and files of patients of past and present and records of other hospitals that require her advice on anything they couldn't figure out on their own. Mikoto is a very busy woman, but will always make time for home and her family for sure. But, to her husband's dismay, everytime you would walk into her room, you must be careful where you stepped so the pretty woman wouldn't jump and snap at you for stepping on so-and-so's file on the so-and-so medical stuff. Yes, Mikoto may be a high classed lady, but she finds things easier when they are all over her private working area and gets it done faster.

Sasuke waited by Mikoto's office, ignoring the glances of the young nurses as they passed him, tapping his foot experimentally to a new tune he just thought of in his head. He figured he would show Naruto tomorrow in the morning and see if he can help with the lyrics. He found his mother locking her door with her numerous rong of keys when something popped into his mind.

"Oh, can you make sure Sakura uses that sweatshirt I left in her room? It's suppose to start snowing tomorrow and I don't want her to get cold." Sasuke left his coziest sweatshirts, the one with a uchiwa fan stitched in the from of Fugaku's company logo, in Sakura's room by her bed. He knew in the past that Sakura will want to open the window and feel the coming winter breeze and turn her whole room into a freezer; he didn't want her to get a cold despite her love for cold weather.

"You bet, honey," Mikoto winked friendly at him. She followed his lead towards the elevator. "I suppose you heard of Sakura's exercise today..."

"Ah," Sasuke answered flatly.

"The vitimans are helping with her heartrate, but that doesn't seem to stop the bleeding after a hour or two," Mikoto noted openly with her cool son. "I have talked to other doctors across the world recently about her progress, and they're analyzing it for the next few months at the Universities." Sakura's case was not very common with other lung and heart infections, thus making her case eyeopening around the world with good doctors from every country; China, Malaysia, Russia, Germany, England, Brazil and United States of America are assisting with Japan's hospital field in Sakura's health and treatment. They have currently came up with therapy of exercising and yoga sessions and record the progress after body scans of her chest area to see what has changed. They have not yet found any surgeries that can properly take away the infections in her system, but America is currently testing it at their popular Universities on lab animals who suffer from lung or heart cancer (which they concluded was close enough to Sakura's condition despite her healthy body and no cancer history in her family). Chemotherapy was not an option with Sakura's condition, since her infections were nowhere near the similarites of a tumor.

"We hope to find a big turning point by New Years," Mikoto sighed softly as she got into the car and Sasuke buckled himself in the passengerseat. She ran her fingers through her long hair, looking at the black strands with a processing look on her flawless face. "I know I said it last year, but I truly believe we will figure _something_ out in time for your next concert."

"It's fine," Sasuke said softly. From what he doesn't know, his mother got out of Naruto of her youngest son's favor in the patient she has been taking care for about five years. In fact, the way Mikoto sees it, she really hopes that her son will grow a pear and confess already. He is Fugaku's son after all, the fact that they both hold their feelings in for a long period of time, making Mikoto fussy at everything like a typical wife. "She can watch it on the public channel if she can't make it."

Mikoto drummed her index fingers of the wheel, driving in the street of night as she nodded silently at her son's backup plan when he chickens out for the umpteenth time. She drove all the way home while singing to the popular pop music that would make Sasuke's ears bleed.

_"Hey, I just met you"_

"Mother..."

_"and this is CRAZY!"_

"Mom..."

_"So heres' my number"_

_"Moooom! Stoooop!"_

_"So call me, maybe!"_

When Mikoto pulled into the driveway, she couldn't help but holler a loud laugh as she watched her son dash out of the car while it was still moving, pretending like he didn't hear her when she called for him to come back. She truly loved to tease the boys in her life: Fugaku was Mikoto's best victim, Itachi was the confused one she loved to twist his thoughts on and her oh-so-lovable Sasuke...she teased him much nicer then the previous ones, but that is only because her and her son share a close bond.

Even if Sasuke didn't tell his mother that he wished to tell Sakura about his true feelings, she accepts the fact that he is waiting until both she and himself are ready. She could see that everytime he walked into Sakura's hospital room, the look in his eyes always gave him away on how much closer he wished he could be to her; not physcially, but emotionally and grow a relationship that Mikoto knew would last longer then life itself.

=xxx=

"So did you use the microphone I sent over to you?" Itachi's voice was heard on the other end of the cellphone Sasuke held to his ear as he traced the poster of Rammstein's logo, making a noise of a 'yes', Itachi couldn't help but chuckle. "Sounds like you had a boring day at the hospital, no?"

"Sakura had another running test and was throwing up blood afterwards," Sasuke muttered displeased into the phone. "She was tired enough to fall asleep on my geometry textbook by seven-ish."

"Ouch, she's really pushing the limit, isn't it?" Itachi sighed. A noise of dishes being set on the table was heard in the background.

"Hn, she doesn't seemed bother by it, but Mother isn't all too happy with continuing it."

"Of course. The girl is skinny enough that she doesn't need exercise," Itachi joked cautiously. "Anyway, I have to get going soon; it's getting to be showtime and the guys are already loosened up to perform for once." He said his farewells and asked Sasuke to tell Sakura he said hello, hearing a yes from his younger brother and disconnecting.

Sasuke tossed his cellphone to the beanbag in his room, placing his hand on his bare chest and curiously felt his heartbeat as he stared up to his ceiling of his bedroom. His pajama pants were crossed at the ankles and his hair was still wet from the shower he took not too long ago; feeling sleep starting to edge on his eyes, he turned off his lamp and tossed himself to look at the navy-blue wall.

His thoughts went over his time over at the hospital; reminding himself how Sakura acted during his visit. Bored, empty and tired was what he could described Sakura's behavior after an hour into homework time. She would flick crumbled balls of paper at Sasuke's nose to get his attention, which he was already giving her with the wave of his pinky of the hand that proped his head on the armchair, but wanted to talk about something else like school, thei friends, what he was planning to do this weekend...

Sasuke knew he was coming over to the hospital with his group of friends to visit Sakura in the afternoon, when her tests were done and being processed. They were going to walk with her around the whole hospital that she has grown to memorized and find deserted janitor closets to hide in when Mikoto was looking for them; buy Sakura a well-deserved meal from the hospital's cafeteria (where the better food was) and then take Sakura outside into the courtyard the hospital had. She had her winter apparel in the dresser back in her bedroom, but she would feel so much better if she would wear a tank-top and shorts to enjoy the snow: rolling in it and have snowball fights with her friends as she get cold to the bone and beg for her friends to hold her until she got warm again to repeat.

'Foolish woman,' Sasuke's thoughts spoke to amuse his smirk. He heard his bedroom door open softly as steps padded on his bedroom floor. Trying to get rid of the new visitor in Sasuke's private place, he made a low growling noise that sounded close to Kiba's dog (another friend of the Shippuden band); trying so hard to sound mean and fierce... But it didn't stop the silent intruder from getting on his bed.

"Nyaaa?" a feline mew rang in Sasuke's free ear. He sighed and turned around to see a black kitten with a pink nose and white paw looking adoringly at him with it's big green eyes. It's head tilted with curiosity. "Nyaaa..?"

"Ichigo, get the hell out of my room, you stupid cat..." Sasuke grunted before facing the wall once more to reject the cat. "I don't want you on my bed."

The little kitten was an offspring from Mikoto's cat, that she named Momma Cat, who always ended up having kittens every springtime. No one knows the father of the kitties, but that doesn't stop Mikoto from taking in the kittens until they're ready to go find a loving home. Momma Cat always stayed by Mikoto's side when she comes home and leaves her babies to the icecube teenager to follow around and bother; Ichigo was the one who always made it passed the bedroom door and snuggle against him to sleep.

It was actually Sakura who named Ichigo after the strawberry fruit, for it's cute little pink nose that twitched rapidly when he would sniff your shoes. Ichigo loved Sakura much more then Sasuke and when Sakura wasn't present, it was Sasuke who was it's next victim. Sakura loved Ichigo's cuteness and his petite body that would curl in her arm in the guestroom; playing with strings and other cat toys until she was tired herself with the cat, leaving Sasuke bored out of his mind when she would beg for him to play along. Oh, how Sasuke hated the cat that would take Sakura's attention for hours on end.

Ichigo's socked paws prodded Sasuke's toned back, pressing it's claws onto his skin to get comfortable with his position. Sasuke swatted his hand behind him to get the cat to spring away, but was left for the kitten to grab his palm and begin biting his fingers.

"Little shit!" Sasuke growled as he lifted the cat's body into the air, dangling him with his hand. "What in the hell do you find amusing with me, ne?" He watched the kitten drop from his loose grip and land on his lap, starting to snuggle his way into a sleeping position. He groaned in misery as the black kitten began to fall asleep once more. He laid his head back on his pillow and felt the vibration of his purrs against his belly.

With everything that he hated about clingy cats, particulary Ichigo, he really did like how he would purr for a long time until the Uchiha fell asleep with the soothing purrs. He will never admit to anyone about liking _Sakura's _kitten snuggling him to sleep...that would just be an idiotic thing to tell his closest friends and even Sakura!

Jeez, how he hated this cat. Stupid Ichigo and his stupid cozy furr!

=xxx=

Sakura's eyes snapped opened as she sat up in her cozy bed, biting her lip hard as she reached for the yellow basin before she began her coughing. Her throat gave out a lumpy gag as she exhaled out of her mouth to get rid of the bad feeling in her spine; mouth opened as a spray of blood stained the container, spit dripping off of her chin as she another mouthful emerged in her throat. She opened her mouth willingly to let the substances drain itself out of her as she tried to breathe through her nose.

After five minutes of coughins and gagging on blood, Sakura decided to dump it in the little toilet that was available in her hospital room: it was tiny, of course, but it had a shower, toilet and a sink so Sakura never complained like Ino would with no extra room to place her makeup around. She dumped the basin in the toilet and rinsed the extra blood and saliva in the sink with a little bar of soap she used to wash her hands; finally happy with her cleaning, she returned to her room and placed the basin back on her little nightstand and picked up a little clipboard with the November calendar attatched to it. She took the pen that was laying around and marked today's date and time when the coughing attack occured to our little pinkette.

"That would be...the third time this week," Sakura said to herself with a frown. It was now Thursday, she had noticed by glancing at the clack, and she was already doing her morning bleeding? She tossed the clipboard back to it's place and wiped her lips unconciously, angry at herself for getting her body worked up over an exciting dream that she didn't want to end. She looked back at her clock and read that it was nearly four-thirty in the morning, a half hour until her morning MRI scans before exercising with the therapist. "Maybe a warm shower will help..."

Sakura pulled off her nightshirt straight away, leaving her upperbody in a sports wrap on her breasts (like she had any, sigh) and toss of to the extra chairs. She quickly noticed an unrelated clothing lingering silently on the armrest; gliding her way over to pick it up with both of her hands to see the giant uchiwa fan in the middle. Smiling cheekly to herself, she hugged the sweatshirt to her face and inhaled deeply, savoring the sweet scent of mint and burned cedar in a fireplace.

Sasuke's scent always helped calm her heart down.

Although, even when it usually calmed her heartrate by a mile, the strong scent of the sweatshirt was reminding Sakura about what caused her to wake up and throw up blood in the basin about ten minutes prior; throwing the sweatshirt back on the armrest, she scurried her way into her bathroom and pushed back the shower curtain and started the shower.

She waited for the hot water to heat up perfectly as she undressed quietly with her thoughts screaming at her. Why was she thinking about the dream that made her heartbeat go faster then the speed of light? Why would she go that far to try and relive the good moments of that dream?

Sakura touched her lower lip with her two fingers, blushing madly at the touch.

Her dream last night felt so real to her, the sickly girl who was pushing her limits by thinking back to the wonderful flashes. Sasuke taking her to Prom and wearing a tux (this made her laugh because Sasuke refused to dress up after the Uchiha family's frequent dinner balls) and herself was wearing a silvery dress with a corset. Even though she would get comments on how skinny she was, she adored the designs of corsets. The skirt part was the most dazzling: silvery glitter that fluttered with every sharp turn she took with an underlayer of star prints everywhere. She could grip tightly on Sasuke's tuxedo coat as he dipped her back gently with a strong grip; his eyes never leaving hers' as he would sing along with the tune:

_"So I dance with Cinderalla_

_While she is here in my arms_

_'Cause I knew something the Prince never knew_

_Oh, I will dance with Cinderella_

_I don't want to miss even one song_

_'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight_

_And..."_

He didn't bring her back up.

_"...she'll be..."_

He leaned his face closer to hers', pulling her upperbody up as the space inbetween them vanished.

_"...gone."_

The rest was ripped out of her mind when she stepped into the shower, jumping at the sudden heated water stabbing her skin before sighing dreamly and stuck her head under the falling water. The steam was already starting to float gracefully around her as she reached for her shampoo, squirting a quarter sized portion and began lathering it up to her short pink hair.

From what you may have noticed, Sakura's hair was long at the age thirteen, the age of her accident at the carnival, at the length to her waist. Well, if you would like to know, Sakura has cut her hair two years ago to donate it to the hospital for children with Cancer. She actually did it at the hospital all by herself.

There was a child that Sakura met after her first year in the hospital. She was six at the time she was placed in the wing where Sakura usually went for MRI scans and therapy sessions in a big room with children who were diagnosed with all different branches of the unfortunate disease; finding the girl playing quietly with her teddy bear in the corner, ignoring her therapist's pleas to get her to try the treatment exercise. She had lost her lovely blond hair, wearing a snowcap to shield her head away from others' despite the fact that there were many other children like her in the room alone. When Sakura purposly rolled her way over, during her yoga session, and commented on her adorable eyes that were the same shade as hers': green jades that sparkled against the faintest light. She was curious on how the little girl eyed her pink hair.

"You dun haz Cancer," the little girl pouted.

"No, I do not," Sakura replied while still laying on the floor. "I have a illness that is sorta like Cancer but its a horrible infection that makes me throw up blood _really _badly."

"Duz it hurt?"

"Yes, it hurts very much," Sakura answered. "You know what it's like when your tummy hurts and you can't stop it?" she saw the girl nod before continuing. "Well, it's like that but millions of times worse!" She wiggled around to prop herself up on her elbows.

"Meh sowwy to hear dat... But chu're lucky chu get to keep chur hair." The little girl stroked the teddy bear's ear with her fingertips. "Pink ish meh favorite color..."

"It is? Would you prefer to have pink hair like mine? People tease me a lot for it."

"I dun care, I laff pink and I would embrace it!"

Thats when the pinkette said she would cut her hair and give it to the little girl, knowing fully well that she would love the donation. With that, Sakura tied her hair into a ponytail and cut it to her chin; she got Mikoto get a private employer to weave the hair into a wig and gave it to the shy girl who wore the wig proudly. She still gets Christmas cards from the girl's family and everytime she got one, the girl was wearing the wig with a bright smile. She hasn't seen the girl for a few years, but people at her school were jealous of her new look.

Her friends were shocked to see her hair chopped off, alright. Sakura giggled during the rinse cycle as she remembered all her dear friend's reactions and angry comments on how she did it without authorization. They were soon calmed by her mission to make the little girl happy, and that she wanted to cut her hair anyway; despite it being a lie, she was happy she cut her hair to get rid of the extra weight to her head! She only kept her hair because she knew Sasuke prefered girls with long hair, like Mikoto and Kushinas', making her ask the aunties how they keep their hair healthy and grow it faster.

Ah, Sakura was a fool for love.

Sakura slapped her own cheek on the idea to replay the dream of Sasuke dancing and singing with her at Prom. Of course, the dream of Prom was just a fantasy, since Prom didn't start until May; only dreaming of it in November, Sakura was content with the idea of looking into the unknown future. She has wanted to ask Sasuke if he loved her, like she did for him...but alas, Sakura was almost too foolish in love to ask the icecube Uchiha for acceptance in his heart as a girlfriend. Sasuke was one of Sakura's closest friends for sure, yes, but would she be able to ask Sasuke that kind of request from him? No, she possibly couldn't. It was stupid to even be thinking of things like that with one of her closest friends and the son of her doctor.

Sakura began scrubbing her arms with a washcloth as she started singing in the shower. Her chest may still be sore from the previous coughing attack, but this would never stop her from singing in the shower. The warm air helped ease her lungs and reduce the chances of clogging up again and spit up blood.

She stood still under the water and took time to let her body rinse and enjoy to soothing warmth of the water. She also began thinking of her schedule for Thursday: MRI and morning exercise, breakfast of Thursday's meal of spongy pancakes and icky meat patties (ew), therapy of yoga for about two hours, schoolwork, lunch of Thursday's meal of soggy chicken patty and undercooked veggies (ewwy), finish schoolwork and then go play with the children in the playroom... Visitors come over for an hour (but Doctor Mikoto's friends get to stay as long as they wished) and then dinner... Sakura didn't want to think of what Thursday's dinner was. Oh! How she loathed the nasty patient food! She would much rather eat dirt then the soggy, icky, stinky food. It was time for Sakura to shut the water off to have time to dress before the nurse would come in and bicker with her to hurry up; getting out and wrapping her thin body with a fluffy towel she brought in herself, brush her teeth quickly and skip out of her tiny bathroom to look in her drawers.

She picked out grey sweatpants and a clean sportsbra, getting dress just when the female nurse, around the age of thirty, came in with a hospital gown for her to wear over as they made her way to the MRI room.

"How are you this morning, Haruno?" the nurse asked too politely.

"I'm doing okay. Had another accident this morning but it's all good," Sakura hummed as she tugged the hem of her hospital gown, ignoring the itchy fabric pricking her skin. "Can you tell Mikoto-chan about it?"

"Of course," the nurse nodded. She slowly looked over her escorting patient from head to toe, when Sakura looked over with a questioning expression she blushed deeply. "Excuse me stares, dear...but I noticed that Uchiha-kun has stayed late passed visiting hours again last night."

"Oh yeah? I didn't noticed how long he stayed in the room." Sakura tried to remember what time she dozed off, but it wouldn't matter with the fact that she was tired from her coughing attack anyway. "I fell asleep right away though..."

"Aha, I see now," the nurse let a quiet giggle. "I suppose Uchiha-kun was busy himself, too!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Sakura looked over even more confused. She stopped walking in the still spacious hallway and forced the nurse to halt in her tracks. "What're you trying to say?"

"Well, I wouldn't blame anyone if they find it rather spicy to do it in the hospital room, you know? The walls are sound-proofed and no one would really bother you if you weren't hooked up to a heartmonitor and IV." The nurse's hips swayed girlishly as she pat her own chubby cheeks. "And Uchiha-kun could make a girl tired afterwa-"

"Are you suspecting that I'm getting busy in my _hospital bed?" _Sakura hissed through her teeth in a low voice. "You really think I'd do that with one of my best friends in a _hospital _and around _ill people?_"

"N-no! N-not like th-that, Haruno-chan!" the nurse's hands flapped around to come up with an excuse. "I just figured since you're a young adult and you've always had Uchiha-kun come over nearly everyday..."

"Sasuke-kun is a dear friend of mine and the son of my _doctor! _I've known Sasuke my whole life and we are just friends!" Sakura was angry now, and if you weren't present to see her face expression you could definitely tell she was mad by the sound of her voice. "To think that the nurses get all excited and get wet for fantasies in a place where people come to get better is beyond me!"

"U-uhm, I didn't mean to-!" Sakura shoved her way passed the nurse and let herself walk the rest of the way alone. The nurse watched her patient shocked by the way the pink-haired girl stormed the hallway with such a temper. She tried to express her apology, but everyone knew that when Haruno Sakura was angry at you, you don't say another word to her until she comes to you!

'To think that Sasuke-kun and I were doing it in my room, of all nerve they have, those horny women!' Sakura's thoughts raced with fire as her face heated up with anger. She suddenly realized that her heart was beating a bit faster and did her best to try and calm herself. 'Not infront of the nurses and doctors..!'

It really didn't help with the fact that she was angry for a very good reason. She hurried her way into the MRI suite and began coughing; closing the door tight and press her back against it and slid down. She saw that the examination room next door was swung open and a doctor came out to check on his usual visitor.

"Sakura, whats wrong?" his deep voice came into her numbing ears as she lazily looked up with a tired face. "Were you running again?"

Sakura shook her head slowly. "Stupid nurse pissed me off..." she coughed harder and watched a little spray of blood hit the doctor's white coat. "I got...mad."

"Well, you're alright now, Sakura... Here, let's lay you down on the table and let you rest while I record," he pulled her arm around his head and assisted her to sit on the MRI bed. He handed her a basin just in case and hurried off to the examination room to record her cough.

She just sat there and spat out a mouthful of blood into the yellow bowl, making a displeased noise as she spit anything extra out of her mouth. She overheard the doctor in the next room speaking to someone.

"Yes, she's alright now... No, I'm not in the same room with her but- Yes, Uchiha-sama... I understand." Shit. She was in deep trouble now. Mikoto wouldn't be angry at Sakura for the fact she got angry, no sir, Mikoto would actually baby the girl and cuss at the nurse for whatever reason that caused her heart to rise. It was Sasuke who would be upset about Sakura's actions. The doctor came back to the room with a paper cup filled with water and allowed her to rinse the iron taste out of her mouth, swishing the liquid on her teeth and swallowed thickly. "Mikoto will be here in a few hours. While we wait, lets track that heartbeat and start the scanning, shall we? You can take a rest while we wait."

Sakura laid down on the firm bedding, letting the doctor wrap the blanket and strap the leather bounds in to keep her still. She let her jade orbs follow the doctor's every movement and watched him go into the examination room before closing her eyes when the machine started. She let her head wander and did her very best to calm down, as still frustrated as she could, and breathed slowly when she felt the table move under her.

'Sasuke-kun and I wouldn't do that...even if we were together _like that_,' Sakura thought quietly, even though she couldn't be heard. 'Stupid nurses and their stupid fantasies about me and Sasuke-kun doing stuff...' Although, even though she's a girl with fantasies herself, she wouldn't even go to that extent to dream of doing anything romantic with _anyone _in a hospital. She would want special moments of anykind to be somewhere open and free, you know? Like at a park to hold hands; a movie date to kiss at scary moments; a place of their own to...

'Shut up, Sakura. You're getting ahead of yourself,' she hissed to herself. "You know what? Why don't you go tell the nurses that you two are doing something in your room. And, just for extra heat for their gossips, tell them in full detail what you do with Ino-chan when she stay overnight every other weekend! That will really get them going, Sakura.' How lovely of her consience to bitch at her when she had no one else to listen to her at the moment. She was the kind of girl who had to let her anger out before the other patients and children wake up and wish to spend time with her; having happy memories while they were forced to stay within closed walls to hide your illnesses and problems from the public...

She really wished her visiting hours could start early.

=xxx=

"Nya!"

Pat.

"Nya!"

Pat. Pat.

"Nya!"

Pat!

"Nya!"

_Scratch!_

"YOU LITTLE TURD! I'M GOING TO SKIN YOU AND WEAR YOU FOR A HAT!" Sasuke roared at the fearless kitten as he sat up and held his bleeding nose, grabbing the kitten by the scruff and tossed him off the bed. Of course, Ichigo landed on his white paws and scurried out of the bedroom before Sasuke could throw his pillow at him, leaving the eighteen year-old to hold his battle wound and lay back down. He could hear Ichigo 'Nya'-ing at something he could care less about until he heard his mother's voice.

"Ichigo-chan, what are you doing in Sasu-chan's room?" his mother whispered in a slightly stern voice, picking up the said kitten and peek into her son's room to see him giving her _the look. _"Ohh, did Ichigo-chan try to wake you up? I bet he wanted you to see me leave!"

Sasuke removed his hand from his nose and peered at the clock, reading that it was at least a hour before she was suppose to leave to work and two hours before school. "You're leaving early..."

"Sakura had another oopsy," Mikoto tried to hide, but she watched her son sit up straight. "It's nothing serious, Sasu-chan. The nurse said something to piss her off and she ran the rest of the way to the MRI room."

"But is she alright?"

"Of course she's alright!" Mikoto laughed with a twitch of her left eye. "Don't be such a worrywart for her. This is _my _patient you're talking about here." She set Ichigo down and let him sprang back to Sasuke's bed and curl in his blankets. "If you're really that upset with it, you could call her room number. She should be done about now." She left his doorspace to leave for her work.

What? Call her room in the early morning? Like hell Uchiha Sasuke was going to call Sakura this early in the morning to pry out of her about what exactly caused her to bleed in her lungs (or heart, he never could tell). He did it a few times before and got into deep arguements with the pink haired girl about how he should worry about his schoolwork and _then_ call her when he wasn't in class. He doesn't like arguing with Sakura, not because he had his deep crush for her but because the young woman is really _scary _when it comes to it. She had gotten herself out of trouble in school by fighting with teachers in verbal sense, scaring them to the ditches by how brutal her pretty mouth could be. Sasuke learned early and learned well enough to let the woman win in the arguments and finish the job...in the bedroom. Sasuke learned when he was younger by the three rules of manhood by his older brother.

_"Rule number one: You must always put the lid down after use. Women don't find it polite if you leave the lid open and they don't see it."_

Hn, like Sakura would be pissed about a raised lid. He knew her better then that; she would just put the lid back down and do her business. (Since Naruto left it up all the time whenever he used her bathroom.)

_"Rule number two: You don't have to spoil the girl when she doesn't act spoiled, but make sure you treat her like a princess. That is how you will make her weak at the knees...I learned that while watching Father and Mother."_

Uchiha Fugaku was best at making his girl (and his nosy co-workers) weak later on. Fugaku was always faithful to Mikoto, but he would get his coffee the way he liked it if he said a nice comment about the lady's clothes or 'how she brightens up the workplace with her smile'. Yeah, thats how the Uchihas' do it.

_"And lastly, the almighty one that you must obey at all costs, rule number three: the woman always wins in verbal arguments. No matter how dumb they are, Sasuke! When she wins in a verbal fight, she will be your slave for life if you keep it up. Why? Because women are on top in public with their man... In bed, though, it's a totally different outlook."_

Sasuke was so 'blessed' to have Itachi as a older brother to teach him the ways of growing up. He really did miss his older brother a lot, wishing he was home again and do the things they used to do back in the day; going out into the city and check out different shops for random things to look at, stay out late at the park with some friends and play the guitar to songs that they would scream into the stars until the cops were called. If only the tour wasn't another half a year and then Itachi would make it back in time for his parents' anniversary.

Sasuke felt Ichigo's paws press against the heels of his feet. Making his cold face, he pushed the kitten over the ledge and heard it land on all fours' as usual; he grimanced and decided he would take the bus to school today with Dobe.

=xxx=

Haruno Sakura was cleaning her hospital room when Mikoto walked in on her wearing her son's cozy sweatshirt as she was shorting through a pile of clothes that were being pondered if they should be washed or worn once more before throwing it into a hamper or her closet. Her doctor smiled and gave her the morning medications with a cup of water, which she took gradually and returned to her sorting. She heard Mikoto's heels clack on the tiled floor and took a seat on one of the armchairs that filled in the empty spaces of her room.

"So do you wanna tell me what caused you to cough at four this morning?" Mikoto asked calmly while Sakura was rocking her head to a random beat. She knew the young girl would never ignore her auntie (even though they were not blood related), Mikoto had the eyes of a hawk when it came to children trying to lie their way out of things.

"I had a dream that felt really real, Mikoto-chan," Sakura answered in a soft voice while she examined a pair of jeans that was bleached purposely over the years. "It was like a dream that will never come true, you know?"

"Was it about going to American and singing for American Idol?" Mikoto teased cheekly. "No wait, it was about you going to Paris and becoming a superstar?"

"No..." Sakura's cheeks blushed slightly with shyness. "It was actually about...Prom."

"Ohh, I see now," Mikoto hummed as she leaned close behind Sakura's back as she whispered into her pink hair. "It was about you and my son dancing to a slow paced song?"

Sakura's head snapped around. "Who in the hell told you that? I didn't say anything to the nurses!" Sakura wouldn't tell the nurses about her special dream with their detailed gossips going on around the break lounge.

Mikoto crossed her legs gracefully with the Uchiha smirk on her pale pink lips. "You were asking Sasu-chan for a dance... You still talk in your sleep, baby," Mikoto giggled softly as the pink haired girl's face went deep red as Hinata would pump when she is meeting a new person. "I know that Sasu-chan and I look a lot alike, but I have two left feet!"

"Ohmehgawd!" Sakura groaned in misery. "Please don't tell anyone, Auntie! I don't want to be the laughing stock of the whole world!" She dropped her clothing and gripped onto Mikoto's white coat and pleaded to the beautiful woman.

"Now why would I do that, honey? I've known for _years _on how you have feelings for Sasu-chan. No way am I going to spill the beans on anyone about this. Not even Fugaku-kun!" Mikoto did a 'ho ho ho!' laugh with a hand under her chin with her fingers fanned out childishly.

Sakura's pink cheeks went deeper into the darker shade of roses. "U-uhm...you knew? Why didn't you say anything? Wait, scratch that. How did you _know?"_ Sakura's voice went low at the question, meeting the black gems of her doctor.

"Your mother would place the homephone next to your pillow to have me listen to you while I did the night shifts," Mikoto twinkled. "It was very cute, honestly. But my most favorite part when you would dream about having a wedding with Sasu-chan and have Ino design the wedding dress! Ho ho ho!"

Sakura was speechless, pouting her lower lip as she pulled away slowly. She reached over and began to go back to her clothes-sorting; throwing tons of socks into the dirty hamper for washing. "It's not so...romantic like that anymore, Auntie. I don't dream of weddings or about the future like a little girl anymore. I have to grow up, you know?" She picked up her school's t-shirt, tugging at the short sleeves. "I can't dream of things like those."

"But that is what dreams are for, Saku-chan," Mikoto stated very professionally. "If people didn't have any dreams of fantasies, then their real life would be as twice as boring." Mikoto knew about both of Cupid's victims. But there was no way she was going to tell either one of the other's true feelings; it was the job of Fate and their own hearts to make it happen. If Mikoto was asked to give a little push here and there, then the Uchiha woman would stretch her arms and push as far as she can!

Sakura's jade eyes glittered at her, making Mikoto's own heart melt at the sight of such wonderful eyes that she inherited from Mebuki, her friend of forever and also her old partner in the medical field. Sakura's eyes always made her look back to the times Mebuki was in Sakuras' situation with her husband; acting like she should be an adult when the childish princess wanna-be was just itching to get out. She couldn't help but lean over and wrap her arms around the poor girl, stuck in her own mental troubles of emotion and confusion for the boy she loved with all of her heart, not to mention it was Mikoto's youngest son.

Sakura was confused by Mikoto's sudden hug, but returned the favor by wrapping her pale, skinny arms around her neck and bury her ill-looking face into her black locks, inhaling the wonderful smell of mint and roses (what Sakura would call the feminine Uchiha scent) and let her lids flutter shut. She missed being hugged by someone who possessed a parental relationship to her, unable to call anyone 'Mommy' or 'Daddy' unless it was part of a game with the little kids as they wanted Sakura to be the baby daughter. She would sometimes allow Kushina to brush her short hair, using the thorns of the brush to massage her scalp and let her imagine she was back home with her mother, in the bedroom infront of her dressing table as she sat on the wooden stool like a true lady.

"Dreams are a very precious thing, Sakura," Mikoto whispered softly to Sakura's little ear. "Sometimes dreams are meant to make life easier to embrace... Sometimes dreams will come true if you truly believe in it." She let go of the girl and settled herself on her knees on the floor. Picking up a pajama pants with cow prints on it, she offered the girl a very bright smile. "I remember when Fugaku and I bought you these for Christmas!"

The pink haired girl forgot all of her worries as she traced the print of a cow's chibi head on the pants. "Hai, I was laughing so hard that Fugaku-sama went shopping with you for these..." She gently took the pants from the pretty hands and folded them nicely to throw into her drawer.

A soft knock was placed on the door as Sakura called out that it was open. A young girl of the age of six waddled in, wearing a hospital gown that touched the floor and wearing a decorated hat of butterflies to hide her fuzzed hair. She was a patient that was forced to shave her head for her treatment and had grown close to Sakura's company in the playroom during her freetime; always listening to Sakura telling stories and watch movies with the group of children and sing along with the Disney Princess'.

"Nee-chan," the girl whimpered, "I had a bad dream..."

Mikoto looked at Sakura's clock to read that it was nine-fourtyseven, the time when most of the parents of the ill children would come over and wake up their kids and get ready for their nurses and doctor visits. She was expecting the nurse to be there with her but found that the girl was alone. She watched Sakura get up from the floor and pick up the little child into her arms, hugging her close and allowed her to bury her face into Sakura's pale neck.

"Was it about the Evil Queen in Snow White?" Sakura asked as she rocked the child around. She felt the girl's nod before sitting on her bed to meet the girl's face. "You know she can't hurt you, sweetie; the Evil Queen was destroyed by the Seven Dwarfs, remember?"

"Yes...but she is still scary," the girl whimpered before hiding her head again. "I want you to come back and sing me to sleep!" She clung to Sakura's gown and made it clear that she wasn't going to let her go.

"I'll sing to you, sweetie. Don't think I wouldn't sing to you..." Sakura pressed her doll-like lips to the girl's skull, kissing the butterly print of the girl's hidden secret. "Want me to sing your favorite?"

"Yes!"

"Alrighty then." Sakura peeked over the girl's head to give Mikoto five fingers, signaling how many minutes she would be out before getting up from the bed and carries the sad girl out of the room.

Mikoto was always happy to see Sakura be with the younger children. She was so good with kid; always kissing their booboos and teaching them how to properly share with someone they didn't want to share with. Sakura was the only person, besides Mikoto, that the kids would run over and hug her legs tight with a mile of questions. Sakura would watch movies with the kids, read to them, talk to them, help them with their homework... But the best thing the kids loved about Haruno Sakura was her _voice. _She would be asked by the children what song they would like to learn and she would teach them. Most of the kids didn't even sing but rather sit and listen to Sakura's beautiful voice that calmed them all down before bedtime. Mikoto always thought of Sakura being a wonderful mother, and would be the perfect example for her own children on how they should look at life as a gift and embrace everyday like it was their last.

She couldn't stop herself, knowing what kind of person Uchiha Mikoto was, sneeking into the hallway and follow the sound of a voice that made all the medical staff slow their pace to get a row of lyrics as they passed by the room where the little girl was kept. She stopped a door away and listened to Sakura's lullaby from the girl's favorite movie.

_"Dancing bears, Painted wings_

_Things I almost remember_

_And a song someone sings_

_Once upon a December..."_

Mikoto closed her eyes and rest her head on the cement wall as Sakura's voice went softer into tune, swallowing the little girl back into a peaceful slumber in her bed. She was so thankful on how Sakura would get any whining child to calm down quickly and go back to their much needed rest.

_"Someone holds me safe and warm_

_Horses prance through the silver storm..._

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my Memory..._

_Far away, long ago_

_Glowing dim as an amber_

_Things my heart used to know_

_Once upon a December."_

Mikoto understood right away how Sasuke fell for this particular girl; how her voice soothes any soul that is disturbed, make anyone cry to a sad song; she was capable of stopping her parents fight while humming a harmony of Mozart (and she has witnessed this, too) and calmed down her whole classroom just by tapping the pencil on her desk. Sakura was blessed with the voices of the Gods, the mind and soul of an observing human being. She knew for sure that Sakura was the perfect match for her youngest song.

She just hoped that one of them would say something soon.

Sakura tucked the little girl into her hospital bed, securing the thin blanket around her arms and placed the homemade quilt over her lower body. She smiled softly at the sight of the girl's slumbering face, feeling as though she has never been harmed by the pain of reality of sicknesses and diseases; making the pink haired remind herself of a sleeping animal. A lamb. Lamb symbolized child's innocence just as every patient here at the Kyoto's hosital, under the care of Uchiha Mikoto and, maybe someday, Haruno Sakura herself.

She always wanted to be a doctor, Sakura would dream. She would be so amazed by how the human body worked and which organs performed what for the other, how one little cell must perform correctly to keep the body healthy. The pink haired girl was always told of how her voice would make her famous, travel the world and go down in history... But she didn't want that entirely. She wanted to study human cells and try to find better treatment for illnesses that make the person uncomfortable. To Sakura, she knew that it was Sasuke's dream to reach for the stars in music, with Shippuden blossoming greatly the past few years, Sakura would support her friends in anything they wanted to do.

Sakura dimmed the room's light and left the room to find Mikoto approaching her with a big smile. She hurried over quietly and was grasped in the cheeks my her auntie's soft, warm hands, squishing her cheeks as her voice cooed.

"Saku-chan, what would I do without you here to settle the children down?" Mikoto purred as she pinched her rosing flesh. "When the Universities look at your resume for medical courses, you're getting my signature!"

"U-uhm, arigato!" Sakura laughed nervously, pulling away from her hands. "I need to go back to sorting my clothes, so I will see you later?"

"But did you finish your schoolwork for today?"

"Yeah...I'm a week ahead of my classes; I won't be getting work for a few days." Sakura excused herself and returned to her bedroom, shoving her hands into Sasuke's sweatshirt and buried her mouth inside. She opened her window to let the coming winter breeze drift in and eyed the pretty snowflakes that were starting to sprinkle from the greying clouds.

She thought about Sasuke knowing what happened to her earlier that morning, but she was confident that he would not come walking into her room with a stern expression. Sasuke treated Sakura better when it came to bickering about one's mistakes, such as his other guy friends would get a smack behind the head. She smiled at the memory of a time when Sasuke smacked Naruto with a book at the question of how one treats a lady to a fine dinner to get laid. She truly missed her boys and school life...her friends and wearing the school's uniform as she would walk down the hallways with her books.

God, she wanted to get out soon.

Sakura settled herself in her pile of sorting and let her jade eyes wandered around her room. She thought about how every single person would feel in her shoes. By one, Sakura was used to the living conditions of a hospital room, getting treatment at certain hours and tons of medication to take and keep track of; on the other hand, Sakura really wished she had someone to comfort her as she tried to settle herself down. She wished that someone could take away all the stress and pain of being a watched patient and having such an illness that would give her nightmares of not waking up anymore.

Haruno Sakura was not afraid of death anymore. She was when she started 'living' in the hospital, but now...she sometimes sought death out as a friend. It wasn't the best thing, as Sakura would think, letting death to gradually take her away from breathing and possibly growing up to start her own family. But what would anyone think when they saw Sakura's condition? Normally they would suggest surgery to remove the infections in her body, but that can not be done with a tumor in a cancer patient... Placing stitches into her lungs and heart would result in fatal issues as Sakura heard Mikoto tell Chiyo at one time. So, as you might say, what is the point of Sakura living anymore if all she would do was suffer?

Well, Sakura hasn't suffered with her illness, she just gets complications that made her unfit to the outside world. She hoped and prayed that somewhere in the world, somewhere either near or far, that someone has found the perfect treatment to let her body heal properly.

Once healed, Sakura would finally give her heart the race of it's being to confess to Sasuke; to do adventerous things such as zipline and skydive, even get a tattoo at some point; she would try the weirdest foods and travel around and help people in need. That was Sakura's most desired wish: to tell Sasuke how much she loved him and to help those who can't help themselves. She wanted to get married and have children of her own to spoil, to have the man of her life sing to her as she could finally rest in her perfect world...

Sakura's eyes snapped towards the opened window, looking at the snowflakes flutter into her room and frost the glass to a crystalized pattern. An idea has sparked into her mind- no! An idea has sparked in Sakura's _heart. _Sakura's ill, sick and bleeding _heart! _A beautiful smile perked on her doll-like lips as she rolled across the tiled floor and reached for one of her cardboard boxes, digging through the piles of paper and notebooks until she pulled out a pink spiral book.

Sakura's song book.

=xxx=

Sasuke was not in his best of moods. School was not pleasing to the young Uchiha, for the fact that there was a particular person there who was just _begging _to get under Sasuke's skin. Hyuuga Neji was Hinata's cousin, a Senior as well and dating the athletic TenTen (who Sasuke could tolerate since Sakura is friends with her). But the Hyuuga man was not on easy terms with Sasuke; both of their fathers are working against each other and have a deep passionate rivarly against each other. Fugaku was internationally knowned around the world for promoting movies and music artists...well, so was the Hyuuga man that unfortunatly produced a dick of a son. Sasuke wasn't into his father's business crap, but he would often hear him bicker on the phone how Hyuuga was bribing his workers to switch sides and quit. It didn't matter in the state of business, what mattered most to Sasuke was that Neji won't stop taunting him about his family; his brother leaving the family business (even though it is said that he is actually part of it), his mother's work not allowing her to socialize with her family and would possibly divorce her husband (even though Mikoto and Fugaku go at it like teenagers everytime they cross paths) and other things that Sasuke doesn't understand where the douchebag gets the information from.

Sasuke raked a hand through his raven lock and inhaled sharply, trying his best to let out the anger when he let the breath go. Of course, knowing Sasuke, it didn't work that way with him... He doesn't let things go easily when it came to his family and his close friends. He could tolerate people complaining about him, but say something about his family and he will mount your head to a wall. He was just thankful that his buddy Naruto had his back.

_"Ne Teme, ignore the long haired pussy," he told him today at the cafeteria after a average student asked if it was possible that his mother would be moving out of the Uchiha Mansion. "If he has the balls to pull this with you, then he will have to grow bigger balls to deal with all of us! No one messes with my brother, Dattebayo!" He pumped a fist into the air as his bandmates and other friends agreed to the blonde's terms._

Well, Uchiha Sasuke certainly must try his best not to get into a fist-fight with the Hyuuga. Not just because one of his friends was related to him, no Hinata didn't really care for her cousin if he was asking for it, but the fact that the school doesn't tolerate violence of any kind. He would easily loose the keys to the auditorium and let his bandmates suffer for his issue of not able to hold his anger in. As much as he wanted to challenge the guy outside of school, it would easily spread through the school's hallways and linger to the main office.

Sasuke put on his best cool face as she strolled in the hallways of the hopsital, not replying to the many female 'hello Sasuke-kun/Uchiha-kun's and the purposly colliding with his firm body to just feel his skin. He was most looking foward to visiting his friend in her hospital room; ditching band practice with the okay of his bandmates was a good excuse to come to the hospital early to spend time with the pink haired woman. Naruto himself pat Sasuke on the shoulder and wished him a good time with his friend of many years, and not to let the party get too rowdy. Tch, like Sasuke ever partied in his life.

He entered the room and found Sakura sitting on her bed writting in her pink book. Oh, what do we have here? The flower girl was writing a song? She must've been inspired really well since she didn't look up to see who was entering into her room; it took until Sasuke coughed for her attention to let her head snap up fast enough to be sore.

"Sasuke-kun!" the girl smiled brightly. "You're here early! I thought you would be at band practice today."

"Hn, it was canceled. Naruto and Suigetsu had dates..." a simple lie that would come to haunt him later when Sakura would call Hinata and ask for details of the fake date. "I see that you're writing something."

Sakura slapped the book shut and held it farther away from the approaching Uchiha. "It is a work in progress and I would love it if you didn't peek at it yet until I am finished! I promise you will be the first one to listen to it when it's finished." She dropped the book carelessly back into the box that was by her bed as Sasuke sat down on the edge of her bed, suddenly noticing the distinct scratch marks on the bridge of his nose. "Sasuke-kun, what happened to your face here?" she asked as she poked the wound, making the young man wince sharply.

"Your stupid cat did it," Sasuke muttered lowly. Sakura knew that her kitten and Sasuke didn't see each other the same way. "Don't be surprised if he is stuffed with cotton balls and sitting on the fireplace."

"Don't threaten my kitten, Sasuke-kun! Ichigo is a very good cat, he just shows affection differently to boys. Like Momma Cat scarring Naruto's cheeks, remember?" Sakura tried to come up with an excuse to defend her little pet, knowing that Momma Cat also didn't fit into Sasuke's definition as a tolerable animal. "I will punish him when I see him do it to you, I promise."

"That's the gamble, Sakura; Ichigo doesn't scratch me with you around," Sasuke growled as he rubbed his nose to ease the sting. He plopped his backpack on the floor and set his attention to Sakura's scrub socks. "So..."

"Sasuke-kun, is something bothering you?" Sasuke's chest twisted at the accurate reading off of him. Usually Sasuke had the best poker face then anyone in the whole world, but it was always Haruno Sakura who would be able to see through him like a window. "Did something happen at school?"

Sasuke didn't answer her straight away. He wasn't going to allow her to be worried that he would get into a fight at school with Hinata's cousin, no matter how she agreed with her friend that he likes causing drama, and be stuck in the hospital without anything to help him out. Although, truth be told, Sasuke is always assisted on feeling better just by being next to him. Now if Sasuke and Sakura would be together, in Sasuke's opinion, there would be other things to make him feel much, much better- the Uchiha bit his lip at his stupid teenage hormones. He was going to have to lie to her again.

"I wasn't happy to hear that you were sick again this morning," Sasuke said seriously and pierced his gaze into Sakura's attracting jade gems. "You have no idea how worried I was about you."

Sakura frowned deeper. "You shouldn't worry about me, Sasuke-kun. I'm pretty much surrounded with medical staff and I can take care of myself." She wasn't all too glad that Sasuke's only problem was her being sick; it's not like it was her fault in the first place.

"Still, I hate it when I wake up in the middle of the night hearing that you're bleeding and have to have Mother hurry here to make sure you're okay," Sasuke pressed on to make it more believable.

"Well sorry!" Sakura spat harshly at him. Shocked by how angered her voice was, she clamped her mouth shut and closed her eyes; she really didn't like getting mad at Sasuke if he was missing his mother or worried for his friend. She needed to calm herself down quickly. "I-I think...I'm going to take a shower. You can go if thats all you have to say, Sasuke-kun." She didn't look at his face as she made her way to her bathroom, shutting the door softly and starting the shower head to extra warm to drown the speeding heart. No way was she going to have three episodes in one day, goddammit!

Sasuke stared at the closed door of Sakura's bathroom, hearing the curtain move as she entered the shower quickly to be away from him. Damn it, why did he had to make her mad at him? He was so bad at communication skill with this woman, it literally drove him nuts. He heard the comment of Sakura allowing him to leave echo in his head tauntingly; twitching his eyebrow as he sat perfectly still on Sakura's bed, not moving away.

It was a very short shower, as Sasuke recorded for eight minutes exactly. It took ten minutes for her to dress in her pajama pants and sportsbra to reenter to find him still in place, about to put on Sasuke's navy blue sweatshirt that he had left.

It was a long moment of silence that Sasuke took the courage of breaking. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pin all my stress on you, Sakura..."

Sakura pulled her head through the hole, fluffing her short hair that was still damp as she shook her fingers through her soft waves. She looked away from him when he spoke. "It's fine, Sasuke-kun. It's not a big deal."

"But it is; I made you upset because I was being overprotective with you," Sasuke explained in a softer tone, nearly making Sakura's cheeks tint redder from her heated skin as he got up from the bed. "I just have a lot of my mind...that I'd rather not talk about for a while. I wanted to have a break from everything and..." the 'and' was barely heard to Sakura as he took hold of her wrists and embraced her in a comforting hug. He rubbed Sakura's back with one of his hands as the other clung onto her shoulder to the soft fabric of _his _sweatshirt that she was wearing. "I really am sorry, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes widened at Sasuke's sudden physical contact, since he wasn't much of the kind to hug other people at his own will, and heard his strong heartbeat press against her ear. She let her lids flutter closed as her arms wrapped around his waist, burying her cheek against his chest as the long sleeves of the sweatshirt drapped over her hands. She always thought of Sasuke as the best hugger in the world, remembering the first time Sasuke returned her hug back in kindergarden for his birthday. It excited the toddler about the emotionless child's response, but she was happy that he acknowledged her embrace. Now, whenever Sakura hugged him, she expected the idea of Sasuke hugging her back.

She loved how solid, masculine and how _warm _he was to the touch in the hug, letting her cheeks blush a little bit more as she tightened her hug on him. "It's okay, Sasuke-kun; I forgive you."

If only they weren't inside a hospital with ill people all around them. This would have been a good time to tell this lovely girl how he really felt for her, scoop her into a more loving embrace and maybe kiss her cheek? Now whos' getting the chick-flick fever. Damn Uchiha stubborness and the Uchiha's way of wanting things their way.

Sakura stifled a yawn while still in Sasuke's hug, making the young man smirk and let go. She whined at the sudden coldness that took place over her warmed body that Sasuke produced; suddenly regreting to keep the window open for the winter's wind, no matter how much she was expecting it and counting the days for it.

"You should sleep. You had a lot happen today," Sasuke murmured as he gently pushed his hand on her lower back and guide her to be bed. She whimpered stubbornly with a pout on her lip.

"I'm not tired, Sasuke-kun," Sakura defended as she glanced at her clock. "And it's only three in the afternoon! It's not even considered bedtime, you baka."

"Then you can just relax. I have another song I'm working on and I want your help with it," Sasuke said quietly from Sakura's yelping complaints as he pushed her onto her bed. "It's nearly done and I want you to sing a duet with me."

"Really? You'd really want me to sing with you?" Sakura's eyes widened at Sasuke's plan as he lifted her light legs onto the padding. "Shouldn't you be working on songs for Shippuden's next performance instead of making songs to do with me?"

"Aha, but you're part of the performance, Sakura," Sasuke explained as he strolled over to under Sakura's T.V. and began looking through the collection of DVDs she brought from home, picking out something to help keep Sakura distracted while she would help him. He ignored her gasp and pulled out a musical, popping the disk into the player and played the movie. "When you're out of the hospital, I want you to be onstage with Shippuden like old times."

Uchiha Sasuke was told by his mother that Sakura's blood tests were improving her results to be able to leave the hospital sooner then later for a visitation stay at the Uchiha's home. He kept his face cool when his mother scurried around him with the blood files; poking all his tickle spots as she ran off in her heels to call Fugaku to ready the guest room within the next month. He planned to talk with Shippuden and pick a proper date for their next public performance at school.

Sasuke closed the window and turned on the heating in Sakura's room before settling himself on Sakura's bed, laying comfortably next to her as she was paying attention attention to the music number that she knew all too well as she pulled out a folded piece of notebook paper. He unfolded the crinkled paper carefully with his index fingers and thumbs only. "Here, take a look of what I got so far. I'd like you to figure out what you could do for your lines."

"Oh, lemme take a look," Sakura's eyes wandered the the paper he settled in her hands, reading carefully of each word and tried to play the song in her head. "What instruments were you thinking of using?"

"Just an acoustic guitar."

"M'kay... I think I can plan a response to it, then we can work together on how to finish the song. How does that sound?" Sakura smiled up to the cool young man, noticing how his black eyes were slowly starting to fade into a more comforted setting. She unconsiously pressed her shoulder to his and rest her damp head on there as well. "I think it's a very lovely song so far, Sasuke-kun... It's sad, but I get the idea of the story for it."

"Hn," Sasuke said quietly, looking at her snuggling head as she read the few lines over and over with inspired jades. "I plan on staying a bit later today so I'm free until Mother's clock is out."

"Then lets get started! I have a good idea!"

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE: Sooo~ here ish Chapter 2 for all of you patient readers C: I hope you had enjoyed checking out more of Sasuke and Sakura's life; along with foreshadowing problems that will come along the way for the two. I'd like to not straight away that it is November in this story, and in my hometown we get TONS of snow by that time of year by the time Halloween was over (and I love it ewe) so I tend to use snow a lot in my romance attempts. Also, you may have noticed I mentioned things that deal with Cancer subject...even though Sakura does not have Cancer herself.

Well, I had many relatives who passed away from lung Cancer, both were heavy smokers and didn't take very good care of their body. There are many other ways for patients to get this illness, but I always have a certain connection with people who struggle with, or know someone they care about very much. I take part in things that help promote the care and finding treatment for these patients for the past few years, as well as taking part in other health issues that need attention. I am as well growing my hair out to donate it to the children's hospital sometime this winter, along with a few friends who are doing the same deal C: I have also helped bond with many children who have been ill and grew a very close relationship that I still hold to my heart.

If you wish to take part in donating your hair, or just donate your time to help promote the many doctors who are working hard to help all these people, you can look up links on your internet server for hair salons or hospitals that have these volunteers open to the public. You can also check with your school or university to see if you can help get your school involved! It really is a great feeling to know that you're just helping make someone's day brighter.

MRI scans is a machine that helps doctors look into the human body's organs and muscles, there are many different kinds of scanning with MRIs'; you can look up different kinds of MRI machines online, but the ones I am fully aware of are the X-Ray kind (to look into organs to look for infections, etc) and the Thermal MRIs (where it looks into the body temperatures). You pretty much lay on a bed and have these rings go vroom vroom for a long time xD

I hope you have enjoyed the Chapter and will Review, Favorite or Follow (or whatever you do to make yourself happy x3 Kitty will be a good fuzzball)! I wish for you to have a good day and think about how precious life is, and it is great to share it with another person.

SONGS USED FOR THIS CHAPTER~

Let It Be- by the _Beatles_. I have heard many covers and different singers play this song for many events and reasons; but the original singers of this song was them xD I had myself believe that it was Elton John who sang this o-o''

Call Me, Maybe- by someone I have no idea who! I hear my mother try to get me hooked to this song and I just cry ._. I will make Sasuke suffer with me. Those who like this song, I do not judge but... Call me, f*ck this 'maybe' sh!t =A='

Cinderella- by _Steven Curtis Chapman. _The song was originally told as a father who tells how his only daughter was Cinderella throughout her life of childhood to the day she gets married. I found a segment of the lyrics kinda sweet for a dream scene of Prom e3e' It really is a sweet song to listen to!

Once Upon a December- by _Liz Callaway_ from the movie _Anastasia. _It is one of my favorite childhood songs and I wish to destroy ITunes for making it a 'Buy Album Only' rule when I don't have enough credits! D: -sad Kitty-

Remember that songs you would like to give out are perfectly alright with me ;3 I take any idea to heart if there was a song you would like to see in this fanfic.


	3. Chapter 3

NYUUUUUUU~-coughs- So many stuff have happened to Kitty in the while of making this chapter .3. Dun ask but I hope that many readers will understand the circumstances of schoolwork and work projects that have a dealine C; It is not bad being an comic-artist with no pay (because I'm doing this for a good cause) but deadlines are never your friends! You know? When teachers expect you to get things done and then your lovey-dovey natured boss is just 'We need to get this done, dear ;w; Please help~!' And I can't say no to my boss when she makes a sad face! D: Sad face is bad for Kitty when she doesn't want to do it on purpose! But, in all, I thank everyone who was patient for the next chapters of all of my fanfics C; Kitty appreciates it that people are staying calm unlike her co-workers and animators... Neh, Kitty needs a nap!

I have great news to tell that I am getting caught up with school and work, so chapters will be typed whenever Kitty has freetime from everything that makes her butt hurt to add on to both stories of Wilting Roses(NaruHina) and Sing To Me, Baby(SasuSaku)! Just because she wants to keep her readers happy and all that jazz x3

Replies To Reviews That Need Kitty's Answers-

Hearts grow- Sorry if I don't like the song ;w; I just don't find the tune of it very pleasing, if that will ease any troubles you have. I picked that song for a tease because I always see my friends get tortured with their mothers singing and I thought it would be funny to have Sasuke suffer. Thank you for knowing that Kitty will update! ;A; She thought that people would be like 'Ach, if she doesn't update I'mma go nutty' but you are being patient and I thank you for that C: Enjoy the chapter!

Strawberry000- I LAFF STRAWBERRIES LIKE A DRUG! (is that even allowed to say online?) Ne, I laughed out loud during class when I got the email of your Review of the hamsters and Ichigo and...yeah xD My teacher thought something was wrong with me. I don't see how Ichigo is like the hamsters, did I make him dance by accident? o_O xD I originally had Ichigo's personality based off of my own cat who...will slap you awake in the middle of the night. And also that little kitten on YouTube who does that surprise pose when you tickle it! xD Ohh, I love the connection you have with the songs to your sister xD That is very cute, ne! I don't mind Drake and Nikki all that much, some of the messages in their songs are okay but I'm more of a rock/metal/punk/etc rather then rap and pop. Although I do have my favorites, I keep my ears closed with that song ;w;' I hope readers will not dislike me for that. I felt so honored to have you Review my story even though you didn't want to *-* Kitty would seriously hug her computer in thanks to your sweet Review despite my underrated story while there was so many other great stories out there TwT Why can't you be a real strawberry?

I really do enjoy making fanfics in my spare time with my OTPs ewe It makes me feel...fuzzbally inside, you know? And even more fuzzbally when people Review, Follow, Favorite or whatever they do to make themselves happy! Fuzzballyness around the world I gooo~! -peace sign- LIKE A BOSS!

*DISCLAIMER- THIS NUTBALL DOES NOT OWN ANY SONG LYRICS PRESENTED IN THIS CHAPTER. IF ANYONE HAS AN ISSUE WITH MY USING THE SONG LYRICS, MAY SHE REMIND YOU ALL THAT THIS IS A FANFICTION IN PRESENT OF MUSIC ROMANCE, NE! ALL WHO **STILL **HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT CAN LEAVE WITH THEIR HEADS HELD HIGH AND SCREAM AT A LAKE (because screaming at lakes is a great stress reliever) AND SHE HOPED YOU STILL HAVE A NICE DAY!*

=xxx=

**Age Fourteen, Spring**

_Yamanaka Ino was finishing the last knot that was needed to finish her Friendship Bracelet. Using the colors of green, pink and white as she wrapped it around Sakura's little ankle while the pink haired patient stared out the window, watching the flower petals of the trees dance in the spring's fresh air. Ino giggled as she watched Sakura's face space out to nowhere and jerk back when Ino tickled the hoof of Sakura's foot teasingly, earning a squeal from her dear friend._

_"Ino-chaaan!" Sakura wailed while swishing her hands at her. "Don't tickle me!"_

_Ino laughed whole-heartedly and grabbed Sakura's foot and pulled her leg up. Sakura blushed hard as she stuffed her hand to cover her pink panties of her hospital dress from Ino's eyes. She continued to tickle Sakura's little foot and watched as her dear friend bit her lip to hold back the shriek of giggles. "Come on, Saku-chan! We used to have tickle fights all the time with just us and Hina-chan at sleepovers. Whats' this time any different, ne?" She asked in a pervy tone that made Sakura's face go deep red. "I wanna be the Seme this time, Saku-chan!"_

_"No! No! No!" Sakura squealed, coughing hard after a few harsh breaths, causing Ino to drop her foot and jump off the bed. "I-it is alright, Ino-cha-" Sakura coughed thickly and spat into a cup with bloody saliva exposing into the air. She cleared her throat and pat her chest comfortingly. "It's okay...it was just a little spaz."_

_"You sure?" Ino asked in a quiet voice, walking up to Sakura's form and pressed a hand on her cheek carefully. "I can get a nurse if your chest still hurts, you know!"_

_"Nah, I'm alright," Sakura smiled brightly, tugging on a knot of her own bracelet she was making on a clipboard she stole from the front desk. The favorite colors of the blondey was always purple, pink and light blue; the signature colors her mother would wear at Fashion Shows that featured her creations on Kushina's form. "I'm almost done with yours' and I'll put it on for you!"_

_Ino took another moment to watch Sakura go back to her weaving of string, finally calming down and taking her place back onto her spot on the bed as the T.V gradually featured a comercial of dancing hiphop hamsters and a certain car brand. She heard the door of Sakura's room open and didn't need to turn her head to hear the happy gasp of Sakura's voice._

_"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chirped as she smiled over at the dark haired teenager carrying his instrument case of his after-school concert practice, still dressed in his school uniform while Ino changed out of hers and dressed like a girly girl she was. "I was hoping you would stop by sometime today."_

_"Hn," Sasuke grunted as he set down his case on the chair by the door before closing it. His black eyes peered over to Ino as she winked teasingly at him. "What is Yamanaka doing here?"_

_"I came here to see my girl, that is why I'm here, you emo-duck!" Ino growled. "You're not the only one who gets to see Sakura whenever you want. I have connections to your mother!" She snapped her fingers in a diss too the boy who could certainly give a care less of how she would be here. _

_"Hn... Sakura, how are you feeling today?" Sasuke changed his attention over to the giddy pinkette as she finished the last row of her bracelet and began wrapping it around Ino's bare ankle. "... What are you doing?"_

_"I'm making Friendship Bracelets with Ino-chan," Sakura said with a big smile as she tied a good knot to finish her work. "We have been making them since she got here, and I enjoy making them. I made one for Hinata-chan and Naruto!" She pointed to her desk where two other bracelets settled neatly. Purple, white and blue was for Hinata and the orange, black and blue one was for Naruto. "I'm going to make more once Ino-chan gives me more string, cha! Ino-chan already texted the others to ask if they wanted me to make some, too."_

_Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I haven't recieved any text messages recently."_

_"That is because I didn't send one," Ino said while admiring the ankle bracelet. "You're not the kind that would wear jewelry, right?"_

_"Sasuke-kun doesn't wear bracelets," Sakura stated to Ino when she tugged on Sakura's hair cutely. "I doubt he would want one anyway."_

_"I want one."_

_Both girls turned to stare at Uchiha Sasuke's cool face. His right eye twitched by the deep, intense stares the girls were giving him; suddenly sighing and taking his spot on the other chair next to his instrument case and ignored them, keeping his gaze at the T.V. that was just going back to the program of a documentary of WWII._

_"U-uhm...what colors would you like, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked as she blinked a few times in confusion._

_"Whatever you want," Sasuke answered flatly, not looking away from the television._

_Ino hide her cat-like smile as she swapped her eyes with Sasuke and Sakura, watching Sasuke sit lazily and watch the television while Sakura was looking through Ino's string box to pick out colors for Sasuke's ankle bracelet. She felt so dominating over the situation that was taking place, despite having no one talking to one another...the tension between these two sent Ino into Cloud Nine, per se. Of course she had Shikamaru as her boyfriend, but this was __**Uchiha Sasuke, **__her ex-crush and __**Haruno Sakura, **__Ino's dearest friend!"_

_"Ne, Saku-chaaaan," Ino sang as she turned her back to Sasuke. "Can you make me another one, please?"_

_"Huh?" Sakura blinked from setting Sasuke's colors of dark blue, black and grey on the clipboard as she looked at her blonde friend. "But...I made you that one. Do you not like it?"_

_"Ooh, I looove it, Saku-chaaan," Ino purred in a pervy voice. "I just wanted my girl to make me more because my mom told me that two bracelets made by someone means you love them! And I love you, Saku-chaaan!" She snuggled her cheeks with her hands and winked at the pink haired patient, pushing a floating heart to smack her nose._

_"Oh..." Sakura smiled slowly and giggled with a little blush. "I love you too, Ino-chan, of course I will make you another one. Just when I'm done with Sasukes' bracelet."_

_"But I want it nooow," Ino whined softly, rubbing against Sakura's side and hugging her. "I can't wait much looonger!"_

_"You're so stubborn, Ino-chan..." Sakura grumbled as she pulled Ino's string box and started pulling out peachy-pink, purple and ice-blue._

_"Yamanaka," Sasuke's voice stretched to Ino's ears, letting the blonde girl swiftly turn her head to show her kitty-face. "I'm getting some food for Sakura, come help me."_

_"Eh? But I'm not-" Poor Sakura didn't get the say in this._

_"I'm coming!" Ino squealed as she followed the Uchiha out of Sakura's room, closing the door behind her to shut out Sakura's rants of not being hungry and to get the hell back inside. "You're such a sweetheart to think of Sakura's stom-"_

_"Don't bully me, Yamanaka," Sasuke intrupted with his signature dark look. "Using Sakura to get me pissed off isn't a good idea in your case."_

_"What do you mean?" Ino purred. "I'm just simply having my girl confess on how much she loves me, that's all."_

_"Hn..." Sasuke started walking down the hallway to the small kitchen that was around the corner, having Ino skip behind him and hum a song. He opened the fridge and pulled out red jello for the patient sitting in her room and a bottle of apple juice._

_"Don't let me think you don't like Saku-chan, Sasuke-kun," Ino sang as she looked for a spoon for the jello. "I mean, you like-__**like **__her, don't you? So much that you are upset that she's making me two bracelets?"_

_"Shut up, Yamanaka," Sasuke hissed._

_Ino giggled girlishly, swinging her hips to the side. "Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun. I just can't wait to have Shika-kun tease you for it!" She took off with the weapon of a spoon to return to Sakura's room before the Uchiha could catch her in time for her to cling to Sakura's body, pressing teasing kisses on the pinkette's cheek to cause steam come out of his ears._

_"I-Ino-chan-! What are you doing?" Sakura sniffled against Ino's kisses._

_"I love you, Saku-chan! I love you! I love you! I looove youuu!" Ino sang in a horrible voice while snuggling her friend. "Love, love, love! Love me, baby!"_

_Sasuke squished the jello cup in one hand and twitched for the rest of his visit before Yamanaka Ino left the room with her mother. He had Sakura tie the bracelet to his left wrist, after having Sakura argue with him that he didn't have to wear it._

_"You seemed angered by Ino-chan...did something happen?" Sakura asked around six at night._

_"She called me emo-duck face," Sasuke lied._

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Three- What Goes Around

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura pouted as she poked Sasuke's nose with her pen, continously pressing the clicky part of the click-pen on the bridge of his nose and blowing into his back hair in 'puff'-noises. Uchiha Sasuke has fallen asleep on Sakura's bed when she went to go use the potty! He said he was fine when she asked him if he wanted to go home with Mikoto, since her clock was almost out, and comes back to find the liar catching some Zs right where she was sitting. "Sasuke-kun, wake up!"

"Hnnn," Sasuke groaned and swat his hand at Sakura's pen, sending it flying across the room and rolled over. "Five more minutes..."

"Sasuke-kun, you said you wanted to try out the song before you left!" Sakura sighed and began shaking his shoulders weakly. "Wake up so you can go home and _then _sleep in _your _bed!" She used all of her strength to pull Sasuke on his back and pound on his belly lightly. She didn't like it when she had people fall asleep on her hospital bed without her consent, and would always go into a hissy-fit to get her bed back in order to share as a couch.

Sasuke hid his smirk as the pink haired girl continued to whine and hit Sasuke's torso with her little fists. "You really think I would move away with your girly hits?"

That did it. Sakura puffed her cheeks and literally punched Sasuke's stomach, causing his eyes to pop out and roll off the elevated bed with a 'thump'; using her mother's strength, with the help of Kushina and Mikoto's temper, she sat ontop of Sasuke's back and tried to find the one tickle spot that this Uchiha had right under his arms. "Call uncle, you meanie!"

_"Noooo!" _Sasuke bit back his laugh, making a really funny face like he smelled something sour. "Stop it!"

"Call uncle now!"

"Uncle! God damn it, I called uncle five times!" Sasuke heaved out a breath as Sakura let off the tickles and did a push-up, letting the girl slide off of his back and on his back shins. He growled at the sores on his sides after Sakura's tough tickle attack, throwing a hand behind his head to rub gently. "Jesus, you could've not tickled the life out of me..."

"At least you're at a hospital, Sasuke-kun," Sakura chimed in on the 'good side' of Sasuke's least favorite thing: laughing and giggling. She got off of his legs and picked up the notebook she was using to write her part of the song Sasuke has requested for her to take part in. She handed it over to him once he got to his feet to have him read it over. "This is all I could come up with for now. I was thinking to sing the notes of alto and soprano at the bigger parts."

Sasuke's eyes scanned the lyrics a few times and nodded. "We can practice it another time...you should be getting to bed now."

"I'm not tired!" Sakura pouted again. "It's only eight-thirty! I am not in the mood to sleep."

"You've had two accidents today and you are probably out of a lot of energy," Sasuke sighed as he set the notebook on the desk before facing Sakura once more to look into her green eyes. "It would be best if you went to bed early tonight and rest up for tomorrow's MRI scans."

"I'm not in the mood to sleep, Sasuke-kun," Sakura repeated while crossing her arms stubbornly. "If this conversation will be about sleep, may I remind you that you passed out on my bed?"

"That is different, I had a tough day at school," he said without thinking. His inner self snapped at him for saying something he was trying to hide from the pink haired teenager, finding her blink and ease her fighting stance. "It's nothing for you to worry about, Sakura. It is just shitty schoolwork."

"I could help you out with them if you need it," Sakura offered by tilting her head softly. "I have finished all the standards for this year and have a pretty good idea on all of the subjects."

"I'm fine."

"But Sasuke-kun..." Sakura trailed off and closed her mouth. She knew that look in Sasuke's eyes that it wasn't schoolwork that was tiring him out, it was surely something else that he didn't want to tell her because it was none of her business. She swallowed and looked away from him and instead fixed her gaze out of the window. "Alright, lemme know when you need help."

Sasuke wasn't able to stop Sakura to take steps away from him and walk over to the window, pretending that there was something that caught her eye like a bird or a piece of paper flying in the wind in Kyoto's lighted city. He watched her lean forward and look out to see how many cars were waiting at the stop light and see if anyone was walking in the freshly fallen snow on the sidewalks; his chest twisted with guilt, but he did not show it externally for Sakura to catch him. He simply took his time to pack his backpack without saying another word while Sakura kept her gaze on the relfection of the Uchiha moving around her room. Once he was done, he hoisted the backpack over his shoulder and faced the silent girl.

"Will you be helping the kids with their homework tomorrow?" Sasuke asked out of random, just trying to get her to talk with him again like nothing happened. Of course, something happened since Sasuke was being the asshole and hiding things from one of his dearest friends.

"Mm-hm," Sakura muttered.

The silence stretched on longer then Sasuke would have wanted it to, usually having Sakura let it go and wish him a good night before he would leave. But Sakura was being serious this time and not letting Sasuke pass again with flying colors of him hiding something. Sasuke knew that Sakura was smarter then anyone he has ever confronted with his emotions, besides Itachi, she was the only one he could really talk to. But with _everything _on hold for him because of _one tiny thing_...

"Sakura," Sasuke started, "I'm not trying to hide-"

"It would always be nice if you just didn't lie straight to my face like that," Sakura said through gritted teeth. "We've been friends since we were little kids and you still can't trust me with anything?"

"It's not that, it-"

Sakura turned around to face him with little tears in her eyes. "Is it because you think I am too weak to do anything about it? That I'm the kind of girl who goes '_Ooh, woe is me! I can't do anything for Sasuke-kun because I'm a sickly little girl!'? _Is that how you see me, Sasuke-kun? And be honest!"

Sasuke shut his mouth after that. She was mad now and Sasuke really didn't know what to say; of course he was thinking Sakura as the kind to struggle in the hospital while things happen to her friends that she can't help them out with. But no, Sakura wasn't the little girl who would cry for little things like she used to. He remembered the last time she cried over something Sasuke was witnessed with...

_Sakura's eyes were shut tightly as she did her best to wipe away the tears that were spilling out as she sat on the pavement. Sasuke was standing infront of her as she continued to cry; the poor little seven year-old girl whimpered as she tried to stand up._

_"What is wrong now?" Sasuke said cautiously as he tilted his head at her. "I leave for five minutes and now you're crying?"_

_"I-I...I fell..." Sakura hiccuped as she pulled her sundress up a little ways to show the big gash that was embedded into her knee. It looked painful, Sasuke would understand, but he knew he wouldn't cry like a baby like she was. "Ami...and her fr-friends chased me and I fell..!"_

_Sasuke knelt down to her height, gently gripping her leg to get a better look at it as she tried to pull away from the sudden contact. He told her to hold still as he pulled off his PowerRangers backpack and pulled out an emergancy box of band-aids that Mikoto would put in there; the designs of colorful prints of bugs and other critters decorating on it, he pulled out a green colored one with red ladybugs and unwrapped the covers and placed the band-aid onto Sakura's cut._

_"There, how is that?" Sasuke grunted as nodded for his first-aid skills._

_"I-it still stings..." Sakura sniffed and rubbed her eye again. "B-but th-thank you, Sasuke-kun..."_

_Sasuke's mother always did this special thing to cure any pain on all of his cuts he would get from playing outside in the woods with Naruto and Sakura after school. He closed his eyes and sighed as his head bent down and placed a tender kiss on the band-aid, kissing Sakura's cut gently like his mother would do with his knee. He felt her whole body jerk and shake under his touch as his black eyes gazed over to see her beautiful green eyes wide opened, her face was bright red with shyness as her little fists pressed against her mouth._

_He pulled back slowly and looked at her cooly. "You don't need to cry, Sakura."_

_Sakura looked down at her knee to look at the ladybugs printed all over the band-aid that Sasuke was so gentle to put on her injured knee and actually kissed her boo-boo all better! She knew she was blushing by feeling all the heat in the sun rush to her face that she could have popped._

_"You don't need to cry, Sakura," Sasuke said much softer now._

_"U-u-uhm..." Sakura truly didn't know what to say about this. Sasuke has never been this gentle with her, let alone kiss her cuts when she would cry over it._

_"Don't cry...it will be okay."_

Sakura shuddered as she covered her eyes with Sasuke's sweatshirt sleeve, quick to wipe her tears away so they didn't fall. She thought she looked horrible when she cried, even _hated _the way she looked when she would even try to hold it in! Of course, she always hated her looks ever since she was a little kid with Ami and her friends teasing her odd hair color and her other features; she wished she was pretty like her Aunties, looking like Mikoto's pretty face and had Kushina's magical hair. Sure, she had people say she was cute looking and even pretty, but she knew for sure she was nowhere as beautiful as her friends Ino, Hinata or TenTen. Sakura wished she was pretty enough to have Sasuke noticed her and maybe...

Sasuke's strong arms found their place around Sakura's small body once again. But this time, to Sakura's surprise, she felt him pull her even closer to his body! She couldn't think anything of it and only responded by burying her face in his warm chest, allowing silent sobs escape her mouth as she gripped to Sasuke's shoulder and lightly pounded with a cracked voice.

"Y-you're so mean..." Sakura whimpered in a cracked voice. "You're a m-meanie, Sasu -hic!- Sasuke-kun..."

Sasuke's face was buried in Sakura's soft hair, feeling like flower petals against his cheek as he slowly rocked side-to-side with her in his arms. Pretending like she was a crying little girl and he was the adult to calm her down intime for her nap; being as gentle as he could and rubbed her shivering back with his soothing hands.

"You're so -hic! hic!- mean, y-you meanie buttface," Sakura sobbed little before wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, going to her toes to try her best to reach to his height in the hug. "You're a b-buttface, Sasuke-k-kun!"

"I know..." Sasuke whispered against her hair, closing his eyes when he felt her accept his silent apology by hugging him back. "I trust you, Sakura...I know you are not weak."

"I'm not w-weak," Sakura sniffed.

"You're not," Sasuke nodded slowly. He continued rock with the girl in his arms as he whispered against her ear. "Don't cry, Sakura... Just don't cry, okay?"

"Uh-huh," Sakura nodded and hugged him tighter. She sighed softly when she felt him respond to her grip by hiding his face on her shoulder and held her like she was a stuffed animal. Her tears stopped and her heart began thumping in joy; feeling Sasuke being _very _gentle with her in his arms and is actually _cuddling _her. Sasuke was best known in Sakura's group of friends as the ice-cube who hated being hugged: except for Sakura to hug him hello once in a great while when she is allowed outside of the hospital ground. Oh, how Sakura wished she could kiss his cheek and thank him for telling her how he trusted her. He wanted him to say it again like in her dreams, sing it to her! "Say it again, Sasuke-kun!"

"You're not weak," Sasuke obeyed. "You're not weak at all."

"And don't you forget it, buttface!" Sakura 'humph'-ed into his chest. He heard him smirk and pulled back from his hug, having her pretty smile on her face. "Make me cry again, and I'll throw Ichigo-chan at you while you sleep."

"Then I'll have a new hat," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Just in time for winter."

"Skin my cat and I'll skin you, Uchiha," Sakura hissed playfully. She knew Sasuke wouldn't be as stupid to hurt her precious kitten. "Just remember that!"

"Hai, Haruno," Sasuke sighed in defeat, pulling his large hands up to arrange his sweatshirt that the pink haired girl was wearing like it was hers'. He fixed the hood to cover her fragile head and lightly pinched her chin to make her giggle. "I'm sorry about that...it has just been a bad day."

"Remember that I am all ears, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said as she pointed to her own ears like a small child, making the Uchiha smirk amusingly at her childish actions. "I may not be there to kick the ass of the people who bother you, but at least I can plan ahead for when I come back to school, cha!" She pumped a fist into the air to show how confident she was.

"Sure, sure," he rolled his eyes again and pat her hooded head. "You get to bed now and sleep. Does Yamanaka still have your phone?"

Sakura pouted. "Yeah, after the nurses found me playing Fruit Ninja in the bathroom they threatened to take it away from me." Sakura was not allowed to have her cellphone during the weekdays of her stay at the hospital for two reasons: one, the nurses believed that Sakura would not take care of herself to stay hydrated and moving if she would be texting and surfing the net all day, and two was for jealously reasons some of the younger nurses had against Sakura for having numbers of all these pretty people coming just to see her. Sakura has given her cell to Ino for safekeeping and charging it every once in a while. "She will give it to me tomorrow since it will be Friday."

"Hn..." Sasuke's lip twitched.

"Now Sasuke-kun, Ino-chan is being very sweet by taking care of my cellphone and not going over my minutes!" Sakura flapped her covered hands in defence. "So don't fuss over her coming over if you two will be in the same room."

"It's not that, I don't like crowded places in such tight rooms," Sasuke sighed. If Ino was coming over, then Shikamaru was driving her and carpooling with their other friends; taking away tons of quiet time Sasuke finds refuge in Sakura's room for most of the weekdays.

"Then bring earplugs and hide in my bathroom!" Sakura suggested." Wait...scratch that, Naruto will be digging in the kitchen for the hospital's chili, I just know it. Don't hide in there."

"Hn," Sasuke pressed as she checked the clock. "Mother will be waiting for me about now, I should get going."

"Okie dokie, have a good night, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chirped before bouncing to her bed, pulling the fuzzy socks off of her feet and cover herself with the numerous blankets. She noticed that Sasuke was watching her the whole time, showing her index finger to wave at him. "I'm going to bed now! Don't try and use the Uchiha Glare at me!"

Her dear friend closed his eyes and nodded slowly. "Alright, but you are going to go to bed." He made his way to the door to find one of the many nurses opening it with her other hand holding Sakura's night medication in the paper cup. He tilted his head and left the room to have the nurse make her way in without meeting the Uchiha's deep eyes.

Sakura shook her head as the nurse giggled to herself as her shoulder nearly touched Sasukes', tiptoeing over to Sakura's bedside and handing her the medication. "Did you have a good evening with Uchiha-kun?"

"Yeah, we're writing a song together," Sakura sighed softly as she eyed the many tablets inside the paper cup, remembering what each pill signafied for Sakura's health benefits: tissue repair, headaches and nausea, heartbeat control and many other things in sorts of vitimans. She took them all at once and gulped down with a fresh bottle of water she had on her desk.

"Ooh, how is that going?" the nurse's eyes glittered in awe. "What is the song about?"

"I really don't know yet. It's a emotional and very deep song; but Sasuke-kun has yet to show me the music piece he wants to do for it," Sakura set the bottle back on her desk and settled herself into her blankets, resting her head on the pillow while snuggling into Sasuke's hood. "I'm excited to finish it."

"I bet it will be a good song to sing with Uchiha-sama. You two have very nice voices when blended together," the nurse confessed as she bowed her head to Sakura in 'goodnight'. Sakura was thankful that the nurse from earlier that morning was told to go home and have her back-up, a very self-consious yet very nice young woman, take her place. Sakura liked this nurse since she didn't go into details with anything or asks private questions with her.

"Hey...has the other nurses said anything about me and Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked out of the blue before the nurse turned out the light. "Anything that is odd?"

"They have said some things about you two getting really close these days. But I do not take part in their conversations and gossips," the nurse shrugged gently. "I think you and Uchiha-sama have a very good friendship and the nurses should stay out of it. It's not a hospital drama after all!" She winked goodnight to Sakura before closing the door.

Sakura smiled a little as she buried her face further into Sasuke's sweatshirt, getting herself warm and feeling tired at the same time as she knew that at least one nurse doesn't get involved...or Sakura would get angry, too and no one wants that. She tried to think back at the memory of Sasuke holding her tightly. Was he trying to say something to her..? Another apology, maybe, Sakura honestly didn't know what to make of it. She was only glad that Sasuke didn't treat her like a child like other people did.

=xxx=

On the other side of Kyoto, Sasuke was having a battle with the worst monster he has ever come in contact with...

Ichigo's white paws clung to Sasuke's pants, around his thigh, as the teenager was trying to shake him off so he could sit down on the couch. The black kitten was too stubborn to loose this easily! Ichigo mewed at Sasuke in a battle cry until another pair of hands pried the little guy off of Sasuke's pants, leaving claw marks as he was pulled off.

"Ichigo-chan, leave Sasu-chan alone, little cupcake!" Mikoto purred as she snuggled Ichigo's little face, having the little cat purr back and press his pink nose to her chin. She sat down on the armchair to have Momma Cat, a large tabby hop up and take Ichigo out of Mikoto's hands. "Sasu-chan, sit down before Ichigo wants to play again!"

"The stupid cat will attack me until I'm dead," Sasuke grumbled as he sat on the family sofa, looking over to see Fugaku nearly falling asleep from today's 'chores'. "What exactly did Dad have to do for Sakura's room?"

"Oh, just cleaning and dusting," Mikoto hummed evily, petting Momma Cat's soft head with her fingers. "It have been a while since Sakura has stayed over at our place. Last time the Yamanakas' stole her from me!" She clenched a fist to her chin as she made a fussy face. "Inoichi's wife is certainly not going to play dress-up with the girls without me and Kushina-chan!" Of course, Mikoto and Inoichi's wife were friends to heart...but when it came to girl time (since Mikoto doesn't have any daughters) she would rather do all the girly things possible with the pink haired girl; she certainly gets very...scary when this happens.

"Dust bunnies everywhere," Fugaku groaned. He turned his head over to look at his youngest son. "You're cleaning Itachi's room before he comes home."

"Hn..." Sasuke muttered.

"Hn..." Fugaku sighed as he fell asleep on the couch.

"Men," Mikoto hissed with Momma Cat mewing in agreement, twitching her whiskers with her master as her pretty lip was twitching. She got up and picked up Momma Cat into her arms. "Sasu-chan, why don't you go to bed? I'll take care of your father for tonight."

Sasuke's eye twitched as he made a dash for the stairs. "Don't keep me up tonight, you perverts!" He heard his mother's casual 'ho ho ho!' laugh as she threw Momma Cat at Fugaku's sleeping face to wake him up, just in time to lock his bedroom door before his father could scream for his youngest son's help against Momma Cat's fiery of sharp claws.

Sasuke smirked to his own benefit of not having Ichigo come into his room in the middle of the night and bother him; he could finally get a full nights sleep without the mutant rodent coming to him and force him to play with-

Sasuke turned around to see Ichigo sitting on Sasuke's pillow. "You little shit..." the Uchiha groaned. He wasn't going to open the door to have Fugaku try to find sanctuary within the only room that had a lock installed (besides the bathrooms) and crash in his room. "Get off my bed."

Ichigo padded himself in a circle and settled himself into his ball-like snuggle right on _Sasuke's _pillow on _Sasuke's _bed in _Sasuke's _room. He sighed in defeat and began to peel his shirt off before sitting on the bed, making the little kitten stretch his paws out towards him, just taunting the young man with that stupid cat-like smile!

"Sakura is coming over in a few weeks, hairball," Sasuke announced in a small whisper to the cat. "Then you can go and bother her and _leave me alone!" _ He used his palm to push the kitten's body off of his pillow and rest his own head down before the cat could spring back; leaving the kitten to situate himself under Sasuke's chin and begin his evil purring. He figured the cat understood him -of course he did, Ichigo was the spawn of the devil!- and took it into his own fuzzy paws to use all the time left to torture Sasuke with his soft purrs and mewls.

"Stupid cat..." Sasuke muttered before closing his eyes and fall into a deep sleep. He was very glad that tomorrow was Friday, so that he could have two days of being away from school and that fucking _Hyuuga Neji _and his bullshit about everything; taking his time to spend it with his closest friends and Sakura at the hospital and possibly try to get Sakura to get outside for a short walk. Sakura always loved walking in the snow and enjoyed it even more if her friends would take her outside and play around before Mikoto would call for the hospital guards to go looking for her missing patient. He planned to have him and the guys to do a quick band practice of two songs instead of six and go over to the hospital with the girls.

=xxx=

_"I see us both, you are too long, too heavy_

_For my arms, but I will not give you up!_

_I know your monsters are exactly like mine,_

_and with them to stay is better then alone!"_

Sakura sang with Ino's earbuds plugged into her ears, singing along with the song as Ino was looking through Sakura's closet with interest. Ino has skipped school today with Hinata to spend time with their pink haired friend since they would much rather play hooky then sit through another lecture of their teachers. Ino took her time to examine every clothing Sakura had, either shaking her head or nodding; while Hinata was sitting with Sakura on the floor sharing earbuds to listen to the same song. Hinata, being the shy one as she is, only hummed with the tune as Sakura boldly sang aloud in her room.

_"And I know, I know, I know and do not ask,_

_I'll hold you so tight, climb up, I will carry you!"_

Ino pulled out one of the clothes Sakura rarely wears: a red knitted sweater that would go down to her knees and black leggings that would surely keep the pinkette's skinny legs warma nd hide her new undergarments that Ino bought on the way over. Yes, Ino goes bra and panty shopping for her dear friend for the good cause of wishing to have Sakura show what she got! Although, Sakura always feel more comfortable wearing a sportsbra (since she claims to be flat-chested) and average underwear that doesn't really prove on trying to look sexy. Sakura was the only single lady in their group of friends and Ino will not have at it; the blonde's plan to get her a boyfriend before Christmas is her secret mission and she would drag Hinata to hell to have her assist.

_"I will become gigantic for you_

_A Elephant for you!_

_I'll carry you for miles_

_Over great lands!"_

Sakura peeked over to see what Ino was getting herself onto and have her eyes nearly pop out of her head at the sight of the chosen clothes her dear friend picked out for her. Sakura yanked the earbud out of her own ear and made a break to the bathroom, only to be tackled by the yowling blond girl into the small room and had the poor dark blue-haired girl watch helplessly on the floor as she heard both girls scream and meow at each other behind the closed door.

"No! I don't wanna-"

"You will wear it and love it, Saku-chan!"

"But it looks like a dress! It looks _girly!"_

"You have a great body and will show it out to everyone!"

Hinata played around with her index fingers as she continued to listen to the girls fighting. Sounds of 'thumps' and 'bangs' were heard and made Hinata jump in surprise for it; but it was when she yelped when the hospital room's door opened and Naruto sprang in to tackle his girlfriend, followed by his other friends of Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba and Lee.

"Hinataaaa!" Naruto purred as he snuggled the blushing girl sweetly. "I have missed youuu!"

"I hear Naruto! Lemme go!" Sakura's voice could be heard, having Naruto's ears perk at the voices.

"No, not until I get this pretty thing on you!" Ino growled pervertedly.

"BUT IT HAS LACE!"

"Are they..." Naruto blinked, "getting her dressed now?"

"Uh-huh..." Hinata blushed deep red. She eyes over to Ino's boyfriend and the other boys watch in confused, yet blushing, expressions as they continued to hear the cat-like screeches of the two women play-fighting in the bathroom. "S-so how was practice, N-Naruto-kun?"

"It was great! We tried out a song you and I were writing in Chemistry," Naruto nodded and kissed Hinata's cheek. "I'mma ask Sasuke if I could use it on our next performance. You wanna be my back-up dancer?" he purred into her ear and made her shivered hard, fainting in his hold. "Hinata! Wake up please!"

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed at the two couple as the bathroom door was now opening. He watched Ino come out, arranging her blouse before she met his eye contact and smiled cat-like. "What did you do to Sakura in there?"

"I was busy with her, thats what I was doing with her!" Ino mewled as she flipped her hair and pecked Shikamaru on the cheek lovingly. "Don't worry, I only rocked her world for about five minutes trying to get those boy-ish underwear off!"

"Jesus!" Kiba cried as he hid behind Chouji's large form. "You're a frekin' pervert, Ino!"

"And don't you forget it," Ino purred. "Sakura and I still fight for who gets to be Seme over Hinata-chan _all the time! _Like a pack of wolves when it is-"

"Stop! Stop!" Kiba cried out, trying to stop the nosebleed that was emerging out of his nostril. "Shikamaru, control that perverted cat before I unleash my dog at her!"

"That better not be a nickname for what I think you're saying," Shikamaru warned. He wrapped an arm around Ino's waist and pulled her close to him. "Even if she's the dominant one, you can't have her."

"No one wants her, idiot," a familiar voice was heard by the doorway. Chouji silently turned to the side to expose Sasuke's spikey hair walking into the room, pushing Kiba out of the way to make his way over to Sakura's hospital bed to set his backpack down. He was obviously was staying longer then the others. "She may look pretty, but she will eat your soul out just like that." He snapped his fingers for example.

"Thank you for the compliment, Sasuke-kun!" Ino smirked evily at him. "Just wait until I come over to your place and throw all those cats at you!"

"Calling me heartless...so troublesome," Shikamaru sighed. He was soothed by Ino tickling his chin with her index finger, calling him sweet nicknames to get him smiling again.

"Where is Sakura?" Sasuke asked as if on-cue.

Chouji pointed with his crumb-covered thumb, pointing behind the two people of the bathroom. "Ino pretty much sexually harrassed Sakura in the bathroom."

"At least she looks okay!" Naruto began laughing until a bottle of shampoo smacked him right in the face, making Hinata wake up instantly and try to soothe her boyfriend's sore face. "THAT HUUUURTS, DATTEBAYO!"

"YOU WERE CALLING ME A VICTIM, MORON!" Sakura's angry voice resembled both Mikoto and Kushina's voice when she was angered by stupid people, Naruto especially. She caused every spine in the room to spazz. "INO-CHAN WILL NEVER BE ONTOP OF ME!"

Sasuke could easily hear Ino's whisper 'we will see about that, Saku-chaaan' as the sound of barefeet padded on the tiled floor. Little hands poked Ino's shoulder and waited for the girl to turn around to push a white scarf into her hands. He unconsiously went to his toes to get a look at what Ino had actually done to the poor patient.

"Ino-chan, I can't tie the scarf right," Sakura's voice was shy and confused as Ino took the scarf from her hands.

"I'll do it, silly," Ino smiled as she wrapped the knitted cloth around Sakura's skinny neck.

Sakura was wearing a red-knitted sweater that went as long to her mid-thigh, wearing black skinny leggins underneath and was now wearing nothing of her feet as she tapped her toes while Ino was doing a fancy tie around her ; her hair was even brushed in a way that let her natural waves frame her face perfectly to be look natural. No, Sasuke would think in his thoughts, perfectly to look _beautiful. _His throat tightened at the sight of Sakura's shy smile emerging on her doll-like lips as Ino finished the finishing touches of the scarf and poked her little nose. Sakura's skin fit perfectly with the chosen colors Ino had picked out from her closet. He knew Sakura has nice things to wear, but was so stubborn about wearing them in public or at parties. Did she not know that she was even more pretty to male eyes when she dressed up?

"I'm ready!" Sakura announced with a loud voice of happiness. "I want to go outside, cha!"

"It's about time," Chouji sighed. "I need to stop by the vending machine again for more chips."

"Chouji, you need to save your money for something important!" Ino grumbled and crossed her arms.

"Food is important!"

Oh god, here comes Sasuke's headache of the evening...

"Okay, Sakura-chan, get your coat on," Naruto said as he got up from the ground with his sweet girlfriend.

"I don't have it," Sakura confessed with a twitch of her lip.

"Well, where is it?" Chouji asked slowly, eating the last of his potato chip and sucked on his thumb. "It was here last time we all came over."

"I let a kid borrow it because she is having a vacation at her cabin! She wanted my jacket, so I gave it to her," Sakura giggled as every blond person in the room screeched. Kushina bought that jacket strictly for Sakura to wear, as one of her favorite colors, and Ino thought it fit Sakura's little curves perfectly! "What? She'll come back soon."

Sasuke sighed as he pulled off his navy blue jacket. "You will not be going outside without a coat, Sakura-... Where did she go?" Sasuke's eyebrow twitched little for the empty face where the pink haired woman once stood.

"She snuck by you and ran out the door...without her boots," Kiba smacked Sasuke on the shoulder. "You need to pay attention!"

Ino wasted no time to grab Sakura's matching snowboots of her scarf and drag the blushing Hinata out the door and screamed for her other friend to come back here. Chouji, Shikamaru and Kiba followed after the girls to get them to be quiet for the other patients while Sasuke was growling and his blond friend was laughing.

"Just like old times, ne?" Naruto laughed as he walked to Sasuke's slumping state. "Some things never change with Sakura-chan, that's for sure!"

"Shut up, Dobe," Sasuke hissed as he stomped by each step out of the room, leaving Naruto to smile cat-like in a very mean way. The blond hummed a tune as he watched his group of friends chase down the patient to the front door.

Sakura burst through the sliding door of the front enterance of the hospital (after stealing a space in the elevator before her friends could catch up to her) gasping in shock of how cold it was outside. She bounced on each foot as her toes came in contact with the stabbing chillyness of the snow as she made her way over to the stoplight of the crosswalk, eyeing the open park that laid waiting for her arrival. She smiled joyfully as she jumped, not minding the watching eyes of the passengers in the cars, as she repeatedly pressed the button to let her pass through.

She was about to take her first step to bold-freedom until two bodies tackled her back into the side walk, frailing her arms all over as she screamed in protest as Ino clamped her mouth shut with her mitten hands. She was lifted by Kiba of her legs as Chouji quickly slipped on her boots (noting that Sakura tried to kick away, too) as they put her feet back down to let her run across the street to the park; the boys following her and Hinata scurring after them.

"Wait for me, please!" Hinata called out nervously as she picked up her pace to miss the cars.

Naruto ran after his girlfriend after the cars were let through, ignoring the honking of the car's horns and screams of the drivers as he made his way safely to the other side to snuggle his nervous girlfriend, assuring her that he would stay by her side and have her relax a little.

Ino sighed happily as she hugged Shikamaru's arm next to Sasuke as they waited for the next light to walk across. "That woman sure is a handful, isn't she, Sasuke-kun?" Ino's blue eyes sparkled at her ex-crush with her lips curled in a naughty smile.

Sasuke was still holding his own coat in his arms, obviously still attempting to give it to Sakura when he made his way over to the other side. He grunted his casual 'Hn' at one of his friends, causing her to snicker. "Aren't you going to pop the question in the next few weeks, Sasuke-kun?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Yamanaka," Sasuke said through gritted teeth, not looking her way at all.

Shikamaru sighed at his girlfriend's constant attempts to pry wanted information out of the ice-cube man. "Give it up for today, Ino. He's not in the mood for that right now." He winced little at Ino pinched his cheek. "I mean it, he looks like he would bite you!"

Ino giggled as she pulled Shikamaru across the walkway, waving over to the others that they were coming as Sakura's squeals for her other friends to come over now was heard. Sasuke silently walked over to the other side and entered the park where he saw Sakura hiding with Hinata behind a giant oak tree and making faces at Naruto and Kiba as they hid behind another tree.

'Childish,' Sasuke muttered in his head. He moved his gaze to catch eyecontact with Sakura, holding out his jacket out to show her that she was to come his way _now. _

Sakura smiled toothly as her pink head disappeared behind the tree, silently telling the Uchiha that she wasn't going to listen to him. He sighed roughly and began making his way over to the tree where Hinata sprang from Sakura's tickles over to Naruto's waiting arms. He went behind the tree to try and surprise the pink haired devil, but was met with empty space again. He looked around for the targeted young woman, finding that no sign of her red sweater or pink hair was anywhere.

"Sasuke-kuuuun!" Sakura's voice echoed from above him. Damn it, she climbed the tree.

Sasuke raised his head to see her looking down at him, sticking her little tongue out at him teasingly. "Sakura, get down from there and put on a jacket."

"I can't get down!" Sakura giggled like a child at Christmas. "I'm stuck!" A tint of pink emerged to her cheeks as she saw Sasuke sighed and held his arms out towards her. His fingers waved for her to jump from the tree branch. "You're not going to give up, are you?" Sakura grumbled at her attempt to have Sasuke let go of the whole jacket-deal.

"Nope."

Ino watched as Sakura's arms relaxed from the high branch as she slid her bottom down to let her body fall into Sasuke's arms; wrapping her arms around his neck as he caught her carefully and set her on her feet. Ino practically gushed as Sasuke's face showed how stern he was in Sakura's stubborness of coming outside without a jacket as he wrapped his own coat around her shoulders; he tugged the sleeve to make Sakura stick her arms through. Uchiha Sasuke never acted so protective for anyone, rather he would actually be so uncaring for others', but when it always came to one particular young woman he always seemed to take the extra step out of his comfort-zone to make sure she's alright.

Shikamaru noticed how Ino's eyes glittered with a plan as she squished his arm against her, rather large, chest, making him blush a little. "Ino...what are you thinking of?"

"Just a plan, Shika-kun," Ino hummed cutely. "Just a plan for Cupid's arrow to stab people in the butt!" She watched as Sakura flapped her coated arms and run off to join Naruto in making snowballs, leaving Sasuke to watch her run off with an odd look in his eyes.

Oh yes, Ino was going to make sure Sakura got a boyfriend before school goes on Thanksgiving break!

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- Isn't Ino going to do a wonderful job playing Cupid with SasuSaku? ;D I wonder what she is going to do to try and get the two together before Thanksgiving break. Locking them in a room? Attempt to make Sasuke jealous? Try to make Sakura dress verrrry sexy? WHO KNOWS! Wait...I DOOOO! I love the girl's relationships in this fanfic personally ;w; My other fanfic, Wilting Roses, seems to make Sakura seem too motherly for everyone; so this fanfic lets me make her childish for little things C; like snow and other little things that would send her friends to join her in the wonderful world of childhood... YOU CAN'T BE TOO OLD FOR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW~! Although Ino and other friends will play an important part in Sing To Me, Baby in future chapters, but the adults in this fanfic will certainly have their fair share too!

Remember that Reviews, Follows, Favorites or just simply leaving this fanfic in the dust would certainly leave Kitty happy just in hopes your day will be good C: She feels like this chapter was kinda pressed on with no plot, but there is tons of character developments and even more interactions of the characters to come! So please be patient and hopefully enjoy what is yet to come! Kitty loves all who takes time to appreciate every character's personality within these chapters ;w;!

SONG USED FOR THIS CHAPTER-

Ein Elefant Für Dich by _Wir sind Helden- _A German song that I just love! The band makes very good music for their language and always keeps me in a upbeat mood at work C: I speak German as a second language, so I understand most of the lyrics within the song (in truth, I am not fluent and my grammar in German is crappy, so I don't make fanfics in German QwQ) and I felt like this song would be on Hinata's IPod. If you look up the English translation on YouTube, you will see some words don't fit with that I wrote in this chapter; primarily because the German language doesn't use so many words in their sentences to state something simple. (ex- _Ich weiB, ich weiB, ich weiB und frage nicht _translates as _I know, I know, I know and not ask _into the English language.) So, to make the lyrics make more sense to people who do not understand German grammar all that well, I added in English phrases to make the song make more sense of the meaning ;3 This song is one of my most favorite on Wir sind Helden and I recommend it to all who would like to listen to it, even if you don't speak the language, you will certainlly enjoy this song.

Kitty hopes you enjoyed the chapter! She promises more stuff to come their way to make this fanfic more interesting~! ;w; Please be patient, ne? Kitty loves you all!


	4. Chapter 4

*Kitty rolls around in her office space with her Nyanpire plushie* WOOOOOO~ HIYO EVERYONE, HOW YOU DOIN'? I am pleased to announce Chapter Four of Sing To Me, Baby ;D I hope this chapter will be better then the last one for you guys because Kitty wishes to please her readers with more conflict, neeee~! Work has been going BEAUTIFULLY for Kitty because she's taking part in important projects that only the more advanced people get to do TwT Kitty's boss sees her as an advanced worker! -lawls- So with the projects being for the benefits of children in need in hospitals, I feel more inspired to get myself out there to get involved as well as inspired for this fanfiction! I must be honest that I will be busy for the rest of the week and will also be busy on the weekend; with that, I have chosen to update early since I promised myself to update once a week until the main plot comes to order~! I hope you will forgive me ;w;

REPLIES TO REVIEWS (the ones Kitty needs to answer xD)-

ILoveSxS- I'm glad you like how Ino talks xD She is actually my toughest character to make lines for because she is suppose to be a very girly person. But, thanks to my brain, I decided to make her a pervy girly girl uwu' That way it helps me stay sane (since I am not as girly o-o) while try out something out of my zone. Thank you and enjoy the chapter!

Strawberry000- I would probably eat myself too if I was a strawberry ewe Aww, thats very cute of your cat xD I'm sure Ichigo and Me-Mow would be very good friends. Uhm, I really don't know how to use PM yet, but my best tip for when writing FanFictions is to listen to music C; Thats what I use with all of my FanFics on my account and while I work for my papers and work projects; it truly helps a lot. If you have any more questions for your story, I promise I'll figure out PM when I have time to play around on FF and such. Enjoy the chapter and have a nice day!

*DISCLAIMER- THIS FUZZBALLY KITTY DOES NOT OWN THE LYRICS FEATURED IN THIS CHAPTER, NOR DOES SHE CLAIM MASASHI KISHIMOTO'S CHARACTERS (otherwise she'd make SasuSaku happen and show Tobi's true form many, many, many chapters ago! ;w;) IF ANYONE HAS AN ISSUE WITH IT, THEY CAN GO SCREAM AT A LAKE! -because they help relieve stress!- AND SHE STILL HOPES ALL THE HATERS WILL HAVE A GOOD DAY C;*

=xxx=

**Age 15, Fall**

_Uchiha Sasuke walked in the hallway of his High School, looking for the right number of his next class. He was looking forward to this class in particular because of the teacher who does nothing but embrace the sound of music into the classroom and watch movies. Counting that it was World History class, this teacher actually made working fun, dare Sasuke thinks of it! Fun fun!_

_"Oi, you think Bee-sensei will let us bring our guitars in?" Naruto asked lazily while walking by his best friend. "Maybe we can teach Bee-sensei some rock or alternative music!"_

_"Tch, Sensei is more into the rap when it comes to learning..." Sasuke sighed. Not that Sasuke diliked rap, but it gets a bit annoying when the teacher literally raps his every lecture and words to no end; scaring away the female school staff with his...detailed lyrics, as you may call them, about gory war battles and such. "You can humiliate yourself if you wish."_

_"Back me up, man!" Naruto hissed. "I'll have Sakura-chan help me out then, if you're just going to be an asswipe to me, Dattebayo!"_

_Yes, Haruno Sakura took time off from the hospital to spend a week at Kyoto's High School to socialize and be with her dear friends through her school schedule; she strictly has the same classes as most of her friends, but it was never ever hard for this woman to be friendly with strangers. Truthfully, Sakura was an eyecatch with everyone who saw her walking in the hallway, either stop in their tracks to look at her pink hair and pretty face for drool in her essence of her smile. That certainly made Sasuke...unhappy with the boy going gaga-eyes over Haruno Sakura, usually pulling her to the hallway where most people don't go during passingtime and escort her to her next class. He was glad that Sakura was in the same World History class as him and Naruto so he could protect her from those filthy teenage boys..._

_The sound of a beat echoed in the hallway Sasuke and Naruto just entered, the one were Bee-sensei's classroom was held at the end of the hallway. The deep drop of a musical clap reached the Uchiha's ears as his eyebrow raised in confusion._

_"Did they start class without us?" Naruto thought outloud._

_"The bell hasn't rung yet... Bee-sensei wouldn't turn the radio on until everyone is present," Sasuke answered as he paced a little faster to the doorway, hearing muffled voices of a male who really can't sing._

_"...And it goes like this:_

_Take me by the tongue_

_And I'll know you!_

_Kiss me 'til you're drunk_

_And I'll show you!_

_You want the moves like jagger!_

_I've got the moves like jagger!"_

_Sasuke opened to door to see a classmate, named Rock Lee, standing ontop of the teacher's desk and strutting moves that were seriously not school-appropriate as the other classmates danced around and cheered him on. Bodies of teenagers pressed against the opposite sex as they played a sneeky role of pushing the school's rules aside and taking in their time to party like a nightclub. Naruto pushed passed him to jump into the crowd of people and dance on his own (because he is an Uzumaki after all) and gained the yells of approval from the others' to try and breakdance._

_Sasuke's gaze turned back to Rock Lee as he spun on his heels, trying to imitate Michael Jackson as he took Bee-sensei's fake microphone and literally screeched into it:_

_"I don't need to try and control you!_

_Look into my eyes and I'll own you,_

_With them moves like jagger_

_I've got the moves like jaggar_

_I've got the moooooves... LIKE JAGGAR!"_

_The Uchiha rolled his eyes uninterested as Rock Lee failed to do the moonwalk move as he reached his hand out to motion someone to come ontop of the desk with him. Sasuke's attention went back in a snap when he saw a pink haired girl step onto the desk next to Rock Lee as he bowed in respect to pass the microphone over to her waiting hands. He watched as Sakura winked playfully at him before letting the radio drop to a beatful bounce as the crowd began jumping and screaming for Sakura's voice to drop of an alto tune..._

_"You wanna know how to make me smile_

_Take control, own me just for the night_

_And if I share my secret,_

_You're gonna have to keep it..._

_Nobody else can see this!"_

_Sasuke growled under his breath as Sakura's pale, pretty hand poked under Rock Lee's chin, sending the poor teen's legs into jelly as he leaned closer to her face; not until Sakura playfully shoved Rock Lee off of the desk to be catch by the waiting crowd and settle onto his feet. He sprang up and screamed about 'youthful-something' as Sakura professionally twirled on her toes and ran a hand through her short hair._

_"So watch and learn_

_I won't show you twice!_

_Head to toe, Ooh baby, roll me right!"_

_Sasuke felt his heart jump into his throat and a deep blush bled into his cheeks as he watched Sakura bent her knees to dip herself like a real pro- not to mention sexy and caused every guy in the classroom to cat-call to the pink haired beauty as she jumped up._

_"And if I share my secret_

_You're gonna have to keep it!_

_Nobody else can see this-"_

_Sasuke didn't stop himself once he saw the boys try to reach her Sakura's ankle, jumping to the desk and stomp the hands away from their reach, sending his inherited Uchiha glare as he took hold of Sakura's wrist and pulled the fake microphone to his lips._

_"And it goes like this!"_

_Sakura giggled happily as she gave the microphrone over to the Uchiha, encouraging him to help her finish the song by going to her toes and kissed his cheek quickly. The crowd of the classroom roared cheerfully and pump their fists into the air as Naruto snuck over to turn up the radio's volume by a few taps._

_"Take me by the tongue_

_And I'll show you..."_

_"Take me by the tongue, yeah!"_

_"Kiss me 'til you're drunk_

_And I'll show you!"_

_"Ooh!"_

_Sasuke unconsiously began moving to the music as Sakura yelled her extra part in a very seductive alto voice, causing the bodies of the teenagers to press harder against one another as himself and the pink haired girl locked fingers and he twirled her gently on the desk. He felt his own heart beating very hard against his rips, matching to the beat of the music as he could feel Sakura's heart beat at the same time as she hugged his arm after his twirl; singing along with the Uchiha as the ending of the song came to cue._

_"You want the moves like jagger_

_I've got the moves like jagger_

_I've got the mooooves...like jagger!"_

_Sasuke jumped a little as every mouth in the classroom whistled as loud as they could to finish the tune of the song, sending the radio into a commercial and had applause that rocked the walls of the small classroom. He was breathing hard as he saw Naruto nod and give him a thumbs up as he noticed Sakura's arm still wrapped around his as she clapped lightly, looking a bit pale as she tried to get her breathing back in order. His eyes widened a bit as he pulled Sakura off of the desk and pull out a water bottle from his backpack._

_"Sasuke-kun... I'm fine...really," Sakura whispered through big breaths. She put her hand on her chest to feel her speeding heartbeat._

_"Be quiet and drink," Sasuke ordered as he passed the bottle into Sakura's hand, making her hold it and guide it to her mouth. He watched carefully as she took big gulps of the water and cough. He pulled the water bottle away from her lips and wipe the drop of water that was at the edge of her mouth with his thumb. "You shouldn't have worked yourself up like that."_

_"I'm fine," Sakura pressed as she coughed once more, displaying a soft smile at him. "Thank you for the water, Sasuke-kun!"_

_"Don't overwork yourself, Sakura. I don't want to have to call the hospital to come and pick you up," Sasuke warned with a piercing glare. He placed the cap back on the bottle and shoved it back in his bag._

_"But you had fun singing with me, right?" Sakura asked, holding her hands to her mouth._

_"Hn..." Sasuke wasn't happy how every pair of male eyes looked at her. But yes, the Uchiha always had fun singing with Sakura everytime the occurance lingered; garageband practice, choir classes, or even just walking home from school._

_Sakura was able to understand the 'Hn'-language after so many years spending time with the Uchiha family. She smiled brightly and glomped Sasuke, snuggling him. "Good! Otherwise I'd beat you for not enjoying the fun. You need more fun in your life, Sasuke-kun!" _

_Sasuke's cheeks slightly fell to a very light shade of pink, not very noticable if you dared to look at the Uchiha's face, but his lips twitched a little in attempt to smile. A loud voice of a grown man intrupted the chance as Sakura sprang from Sasuke's chest and was faced with a sunglassed, mustache face of their teacher._

_"Yo, wut makes the flower petals go fly?" the teacher sang in a rap tune, flexing his fingers automatic infront of Sakura's emerald gems._

_Sakura giggled and attempted to mimick her teacher's hands. "The petals of the tree has yet to blossom, Let the bee's sting help the flower meet the wind!"_

_"Say hooo! My pupil's voice gotz me to gooo!" Bee's voice roared, exciting the classmates in the room to call out for him to join the party. the teacher got to his knees and raised his big hands into the air, as if calling out to the heavens. "May my God fogive the voice of the angel, how she beats the King of rap with her itty-bitty-teeny-weeny haaands!" He walked on his knees in a hip-hop movement into his classroom and announced to the class that the King has arrived, leaving Sasuke and Sakura to watch him._

_"That man is so...annoying," Sasuke sighed. "You have no idea what he is saying."_

_"He says I am a good singer," Sakura answered him promptly. "He says that I would beat him at a rap contest if he was to allow it."_

_"You understand him?"_

_"Sorta. It is something you have to listen to really closely," Sakura stated as she pointed to her ear in example, taking strides into the classroom. "Class is about to start, Sasuke-kun! Hurry up now!"_

_Sasuke watched her pink hair disappear behind the doorframe and had yells and cat-calls of classmates who saw her. Following her into the classroom before the final bell rang across the school, he settled himself in a desk next to Sakura in the back of the room while the teacher argued with Rock Lee._

_"Didn't I sing good, Bee-sensei?" Rock Lee asked with tears in his eyes._

_"The fact dat ya screech like a dying cow brings sorrow to my heart, fool!" Bee crossed his arms and pouted his thick lower lip out in discust. "Diz calls for extra work for yo ass- Ya don't feel da music, fool!"_

_"But I do feel the music, Sensei!"_

_"Ya don't feeeeeeel da beat, fool!"_

_"But I feeeeeel the beat, Sensei!"_

_Sasuke sighed while Sakura giggled next to him; her angelic giggle reached to the deepest pit of his soul as he remembered how he felt her heartbeat match with his as she held his arm so close, how she lightly kissed his cheek to get him to join her into the party that the classroom was holding for only a minute as Sasuke's life battled for breath. Cliche, as he would think of it, but he would not forget how Sakura's lips burned a invisible scar into his cheek._

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Four- Like an Angel

"Whooooa! Look at this, Sakura-chan! Isn't it cute?"

"Hai! I like it."

"Ne ne, Sakura-chan! Look at that, how do you think of that?"

"I like that, too! What do you think?"

"I'mma buy it for Hinata, Dattebayo!"

"U-uhm..! Y-you don't need to, Naruto-kun!"

"But I wanna!"

Sasuke watched as Sakura, Ino, Hinata and Naruto run ahead to look at the decorated windows of little shops, all decorated ahead of time for Christmas as the girls and boy gushed at the twinkling lights and tiny snowmen move around on a window-glass, pretending to iceskate around the winter scenery. Certainly, Sasuke would not care to give a second glance at the windows, but when his friends begged him to look at whatever their pointing at -adding in if Sakura is still looking at it- he would glance over at the object for a second. Shikamaru and Kiba stayed behind with Sasuke as Chouji wobbled his way over to look at the gingerbread men that hung from the lights, drooling heavenly at their iced faces. He nearly smacked the living out of Naruto when he tried to pry his face from the window before kids screamed at his opened mouth pressed against the glass like a leech.

"Chouji, I'll buy you a cookie if you get the hell away from the window!" Ino called out to make Chouji's face perk at Ino and Sakura entering the store. He dragged Naruto inside with him as Hinata scrambled to catch up to the hungry beast.

"Hn," Sasuke sighed. This would be the third store they entered that dealt with the decoration of Christmas! Not that Sasuke hated Christmas like Mr. Scrooge, but it wasn't even close to Thanksgiving, for christ's sake.

"I'll see if they have anything for Akamaru in there," Kiba told his two friends before entering the store, being followed by them without question; being burst with the smell of cinnamon and other Christmas-like scents as they broke up their triangle to wander around the store.

Naruto was next to Hinata, looking at little figurines of winter towns and people who were doing old-fashioned activites of that era; snickering at how Hinata gushed at the children figures having a snowball fight that reminded her of her dearest boyfriend and his pals in the school's courtyard. Shikamaru joined in helping Ino tell Chouji to pick out only one treat from the bakery, scaring the poor bakery girl as the large man drooled at everything and ask for a sample. Ino would usually pull his ear like a child and scold him for startling the poor worker. Kiba had finally found the aisle where the pet toys laid in display to send the teenage boy into a spoiling-frenzy for his dog back at home, jumping as he made the squeaky toys say hello to him and purr in delight.

Sasuke silently wandered into the back of the store to find Sakura's back to him. She still wore his winter coat as she swayed gently to her sides to the sound of a Christmas tune about snowflakes and people's joy. He snuck up to her side to see she was holding a little music box that held two figures of the Nutcracker and the Ballerina dancing together in a circular motion. Made of porcelain, the circular box was held gently in Sakura's hands as her emerald eyes seemed to be lost in thought at the sound of the music, watching the little knob she turned spin to unwind the tune in a bell-like harmony.

Sasuke remembered in the past, when Sakura's parents were alive, they would take her every year to see the Nutcracker play; dressing up like a royal princess and get her growing hair into beautiful curls (thanks to Mebuki's talent from Ino's mother) and held it up in a pin of a decorated snowflake clip that Kushina gave to Sakura from her modeling line. She would wear a white fake-furred coat with a matching hat that reminded Sasuke of a Russian Duchess whenever she smiled up to the strangers who complimented her beautiful outfit, standing closeby to her father -who served as a gentlemen escort for his wife and daughter- holding her hand so comfortingly while his other was wrapped lovingly around his wife's waist. Kizashi was a proud man of his family and always embraced how they sparkled in events such as going to plays and invited two families he had grown to call his own, even invite his mother to the plays to get out of the nursing home.

_"Sakura-hime," Chiyo's gloved hand tilted Sakura's doll-like chin up to look into her eyes, "why not go and be with the boys while your father escorts the retired queen to her seat, ne?"_

_Sakura's childish face sparkled with her grandmother's game of playing royalty, going to her toes of her decorated feet to kiss the elderly woman's soft nose before letting go of her father's big hand and hurry her way to Naruto and Sasuke, who was eating food from the appiteizer table. She caught Naruto stuffing a whole cupcake into his mouth with no such manners._

_"Narutoooo," Sakura growled under her breath, pinching Naruto's cheek hard. "What have I said about eating like a piggy at expensive plays like this!"_

_Naruto sputtered frosting to Sakura's face in apology, scrambling away when Sakura tried to swing a fist to his skull, running over to his goddess-looking mother who was snuggling against her husband's chest as other men drooled at her feet. Kushina giggled at Naruto's stuffed mouth and wiped the napkin over his face while Minato erked at his son's messy face._

_Sasuke sighed and wiped his own napkin across Sakura's cheek, having her sputter in discust of Naruto's cooties nearly staining her pretty dress: a chinese-styled red dress that held sparkling flames to her feet and fluttered to her collar in sparkling stars. Sasuke was dressed in a little tux that his mother forced him to wear with a tie, as Itachi only wore a dress shirt and fancy pants to such an expensive event. Speaking of which, Sasuke's older brother was busy flirting with other girls his age into accompanying him to their seats to be rid of his parents._

_"There," Sasuke muttered as he dabbed the last piece of frosting off of Sakura's nose, throwing the dirtied napkin into the little black trashcan that stood by the food tables. _

_"Arigato, Sasuke-kun," Sakura breathed in relief of being rid of Naruto's cake on her face, hugging her white coat in a sweet way as she recieved a wink from bystanders who caught her attention. She blushed a little as boy of the age of teenagers, while she was only seven, blow a little kiss towards her way and have her take a step closer to her dear friend. "To think there are so many womanizers at this play...and it's a classic!"_

_"Hn," Sasuke threw the most fearsome glare he could at the teenage boys, recieving laughs from them as they walked away. "They're not getting through me..."_

_"What was that, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked as she heard his whispering threat._

_"Nothing..." Sasuke bit the last of his tomato sample before throwing his dish into a trasha nd take hold of Sakura's tiny hand. "Let's go, my parents are looking for me."_

_Sasuke led the girl towards the two figures of Mikoto and Fugaku, eyeing how his mother was beautiful at the fullmoon in her silvery dress and her wrists decorated with every diamond bracelet she owned and recieved at her anniversary; having the perfect amount of soft makeup on her eyes of the colors of light brown and tan to brighten her black eyes as her red lips kissed Fugaku's chin adoringly before noticing her son and her friend's daughter. She smiled down to them as the surrounding adults followed her gave from Fugaku's story of a funny incident between Kizashi and the watering stand, suddenly going in awe and have their eyes sparkle more then their champane glasses._

_"Ahh, look how cute you two are!" a older woman who went overboard with her makeup cooed, pressing her long-nailed fingers to her blushed cheek. "You two could fit the part of the Nutcracker and Ballerina!" Sasuke's eyebrow twitched at that comment, squeezing Sakura's hand lightly as Sakura offered the lady a smile in return._

_Sakura curtsied her dress a little with the arm that held her fuzzy coat. "Thank you for the kind comment, ma'am. My name is Haruno Sakura and I am pleased to meet such a kind lady like you!"_

_The crowd of people of all ages and gender squealed and cooed at Sakura's blushing smile as she took a step closer to Sasuke's side. A man with a trimmed beard nudged Fugaku's arm, nearly making Sasuke's father drop his fancy glass of wine._

_"You should've seen it coming how your sons catch the eyes of the innocent kind!"_

_"Chen-sama!" Mikoto hissed teasingly, yet her smile was a warning to everyone that it wasn't a good call. "My sons are gentlemen, and would not stand for mistreatment of a lady like Sakura..." She caught a glimpse of Itachi having both arms filled with women, shocking him to turn around quickly and walk the opposite way. "Especially Sasu-chan, he wouldn't hurt Saku-chan or let anyone bother her."_

_"How sweet," another woman sighed dreamily. "To see young love blossom infront of our ageing eyes certainly bring back memories!" The other adults nodded in agreement, surely sticking to their opinion of the two children blinking in confusion._

_A tune of a violent and chello began humming across the room, catching almost every head as they played 'Waltz in the Snowflakes' professionally as one; some adults from the Uchiha's group excused themselves to take part in the ballroom dancing that would take place every year before the play was said to start. Mikoto's eyes glittered as she snuggled herself to Fugaku's side, asking him silently of what she wants._

_Fugaku smirked his signature smile and he took a step back from his loving wife and bowed like a true gentlemen with his right hand sticking. "May I be honored to have this dance, mil'lady?"_

_Mikoto giggled like a young child as she took her lover's hand and descended into the dancing floor like a queen, making Sasuke watch in awe of how his parents acted so elegantly yet he could just read the conversations in their eyes as they locked, cementing into each other gazes as they got into the position of a natural ballroom pose. Sasuke eyed how Auntie Mebuki and Uncle Kizashi danced together while Chiyo sat on the sidelines to watch her youngest son enchant his wife all over again as he swirled her around, swishing her sparkling teal dress as she smiled to him._

_"Twirl!" Naruto's hyper voice commanded as Sasuke saw him on Minato's shoulders, who was guiding his wife in her violet dress with the silvery straps and sash that fit perfectly around her pretty waist as she tickled Naruto's little foot. Minato was always strong in holding his son on his shoulder as well to multitask in dancing with his wife as if they were swans. Sasuke was truly amazed how his 'family' could blend into this scene like a fairytale book._

_He felt Sakura's little hand in his began to move as her body rocked around to the music, humming in a soprano note that made Sasuke's heart melt as her eyes watched the dancers grace across the tiled floor; her pink hair swished gracefully as Sasuke watched her fall into the story of the song, her little heels rise up and down in her own little dance. He gulped as he tried to move his gaze away from her pretty form, noticing how his older brother was being swarmed by many girls into the dance._

_Itachi's smiled at his little brother and mouthed the magical command that made the Uchiha's face beat red. "Dance with her, little brother..." He waved his index finger to tease Sasuke as the girls 'kyaa'-ed for his silky hair and beautiful body as he asked who would liked to dance first._

_Sasuke turned his head to see Sakura still following the song with her pretty humming, gently tugging her hand in his sweating palms as he began to step onto the dancefloor. Sakura stifled a surprised gasp as Sasuke pulled her into the middle of the dancefloor, looking all over the place as the adults swayed past the two little children as Sasuke's other arm wrapped around her little waist, holding her jacket there so it didn't fall as her little hands clung to his shoulders._

_Sasuke led the dance slowly, touching his toes with Sakuras' and he began moving each step slowly to set a example of what she should to on the opposite end. He felt her grip tightened as they began moving to the music and the violins began to ease the singer's soprano-like 'Ohh's across the ballroom, sending Sasuke into cue to lightly hum under his breath to show Sakura to join into the song._

_He always liked to hear her voice anyway._

Sasuke watched as Sakura set the little music box down as the song stopped abruptly. She turned her head to see Sasuke standing there with his normal, yet always surprising stare, as she jumped a little. She was so glad she wasn't holding the fragile item any longer!

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squeaked. "Don't sneek up on me like that!" She lightly pat his shoulder in punishment, causing his lip to twitch upward a little ways.

"Hn, it has been a while since you've seen Nutcracker," Sasuke stated slowly as he looked at the music box, the figures slowly stopping in their cirular motions. "I remember when Dobe brought Hinata along in Junior High and she passed out from the crowd."

"People thought she was having a seizure," Sakura pouted a laugh. "She is so cute when she's shy!" Sakura giggled as she walked down the aisle behind them to look at the different bags of hotchocolate and cookie ingredients to choose from. "Are you going to see the play this year?"

"Maybe." Sasuke followed Sakura and stood behind her as she poked each bag, as if counting the different flavors of powder each bag held within it's green ribbon. "Would you like to go?"

"Mm-hm," Sakura mumbled, turning her head to look up at Sasuke's deep black eyes. "You know the Nutcracker was always my favorite play, Sasuke-kun."

"I do," Sasuke agreed with a single nod.

"Saku-chaaaan!" Ino's voice echoed across the whole store, making Sakura's pink head swish away from Sasuke's face as she saw her blond friend standing at the end of the aisle with a red face and puffy cheeks. "Get Chouji to pick out _one _treat! He listens to you since you tell him all the bad stuff that will happen to his health if he eats the whole display counter!"

"Alright, Ino-chan!" Sakura giggled as she skipped away and around the corner, not before Ino poked Sakura's cheek to get her fiesty as she made her way over to Chouji and Shikamaru, who were now fighting with each other with a piece of carrot cake while the cashier woman hid behind a paper bag.

Ino walked casually passed Sasuke in the baking goods aisle as he watched her with icy stares. She smiled at him as she twirled to the music that store was playing. "Sasuke-kun, why not buy Saku-chan that music box?"

"Hn?" Sasuke was now confused.

"Buy. Saku-chan. The. Music box," Ino hummed at each word. "And maybe take her to the Nutcracker play if she makes it out of the hospital in time."

"What are you trying to do, Yamanaka?" Sasuke asked in a flat voice. He watched as Ino faked a gasp, as if she was cornered for murder. "You're up to something."

"I just want you two to get together and make cute babies, thats all!" Ino laughed as she daringly smacked Sasuke's skull, sending him to hunch down from the sudden blow. "You need to grow a pear and ask her out, you emo-duck! Make her light on her feet! Make her feel like a true princess!"

_"Hnnnn," _Sasuke's growl reminded Ino of a angry dog. He was strictly telling her to stay out of his business of his personal life. Not like that was going to stop the fashionista from her evil plan to get Sasuke and Sakura together!

"Think of it, Sasuke-kun," Ino started, "with my womanly charms of knowing Sakura inside and out, you wouldn't even _embarrass _yourself infront of Sakura on a first date. Why, I know Sakura sooo well, I even know what kind of panties she wears on a daily basis!"

Sasuke's shoulder hunched as he tried to cover his face from showing the annoying brat that he was imagining...things. "Ino, why even bother?"

"Because I know you want to ask her out, but you're not man enough to do it," Ino said casually as she walked to the shelf with figurines displayed to her view. She picked up the Nutcracker music box and twisted the knob to start the music. "You know, everyone has known you like Saku-chan since elementary school. We just want you two to be happy!"

"Sakura is a patient in my mother's hospital, always in danger of her own life with the smallest things that excite her heart and lungs," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "How am I suppose to ask her anything if she won't cough up blood and have a seizure from the surprise?"

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," Ino shook her head as she faced Sasuke, holding the music box carefully as she took her steps back towards him, looking deep into his eyes as every word she said next meant from her heart. "Love can conquer even the most incurable illnesses, you moron."

With that said, she pulled Sasuke's large hand out and placed the singing music box in his palm, pressing his fingers to grip to small item in his hand. She looked through her thick bangs as she showed an expression that sort've frightened the Uchiha man. The face of desperate hope for her dear friend Sakura as she never knew what was going to happen next.

"At least try to think about it, Sasuke-kun," Ino said at last before walking away from him. She disappeared from Sasuke's eyesight as her voice went back to her usual squealing pitch as she thanked Sakura for getting Chouji a low-caloried cookie and a smaller piece of a applecrumb cake.

Sakura looked around the store to see Hinata being snuggled by Naruto as she was hugging a Christmas Plushie of a very fat Santa Claus, giggling uncontrollably as Naruto sang a Christmas Carol into her pretty ear. Sakura's eyes soften as she thought about how happy her dear friends are; Naruto and Hinata have been dating _publicly _for three years now, Ino and Shikamaru have confessed for their relationship after being walked-in on at the Halloween party back in Junior High, Kiba even met a feisty girl who adored dogs as much as he does back at school! And lets not forget Chouji meeting a girl in cooking class who liked to use Chouji as a taste-tester and even asked her out to a italian dinner next Saturday and TenTen was dating Hinata's cousin, Neji -that she has not really met yet-. Yeah, Sakura was very happy how her friends have grown from rowdy little kids into young adults and finding someone they wished to spend their freetime with.

Sakura slid her arm from Sasuke's warm coat and pressed her palm onto her scarfed chest, feeling the soothing heartbeat bump healthy against her hand. She was calm and content at the moment of feeling the Holidays coming closer, almost ready to wake up and spend breakfast with her family of the Uchihas' and Uzumakis; spending time with her grandmother before her trip to out of town with her nursing home group to have fun (when really Sakura knew Chiyo as a party animal) and help her pass out puppets and dolls she had made to the children of Mikoto's hospital.

But, deep in Sakura's calm heart, she felt a little lonely that her friends were spreading their wings and dating people. Despite it being in her group of friends, she still feels alone that she sees them kiss and hug hello and goodbyes to eachother before waving to Sakura in their sweetest smile they could offer the ill girl. She was happy, no doubt, but that feeling of being the only one who isn't dating left her out of the picture. Sakura even figured that Sasuke was seeing someone at school, he had to be. Every girl would fall to their knees to get his attention...and about sometime would one particular girl would catch Sasuke's pretty eyes and make him happy. She wanted Sasuke to be happy...so much.

"Saku-chan, look at this plush," Hinata's angelic voice caught Sakura's attention. She saw how Hinata held up a ninja plushie holding a candycane for a weapon and wore a Christmas hat on his covered head. "Naruto-kun bought it for me b-because he said I-I stole his heart..!" Hinata blushed deep red as Naruto came up behind her and snuggled.

"That is so sweet of him, Hinata!" Sakura giggled. "Naruto is finally the same level as his father!"

"Oi, I am a gentleman, Sakura!" Naruto defended with his toothy smile. "Just wait until Hinata sees the surprise I got for her back at my place!"

"Auntie Kushina won't stand for that," Sakura warned with a waving finger. "You better be prepared for the Talk!"

"T-T-Th...The _Talk?" _Hinata flushed before fainting in Naruto's arms.

"The surprise was dinner! Not sex! That was for her birthday!" Naruto wailed in the spotlight as he snuggled his fainted girlfriend. He muttered little in misery like 'But she liked it!' or 'She was the animal of the night, Dattebayo..!'

Sakura sighed a laugh as she saw Chouji watch the scene of the drama play while nibbling his cake, smearing frosting on his lips as she smiled at Chouji. He grinned cheekly back to keep his stuffed mouth closed and nod a thank you to the pink haired girl for the choices of treats.

"Hey, Saku-chan," Ino pulled on Sakura's scarf towards the bakery counter. "I have my dad's credit card and he told me to get something for the kiddies with you! What do they like?"

Sakura gazed over at the different choices of small treats, afforadable for the Yamanaka family to purchase for the whole wing of the children's ward, looking carefully and thinking of what every child likes for the sweet tooth, she eyed the snowflake-shaped cookies that were each the size of a soda can's top rim with sprinkles and light blue frosting lining across at top.

"Th-that is our buttermilk vanilla cookies," the bakery girl said with a smile. "They melt once you take the first bite into your mouth." She pulled the tray out and gave Sakura one fore free sample.

Sakura popped the whole thing into her mouth and took a soft bite; tinting her cheeks to a pretty shade of pink as the whole cookie _melted heavenly on her tongue. _She couldn't help but moan in pleasure of the sweetness that filled her mouth as she tasted the vanilla ribbon go down her throat as she swallowed with a milky texture stay in her lips as she licked them.

"That!" Sakura pointed like a little child to the cookies. "The kids will_ loooove _these!"

Ino smiled at the sparkle in Sakura's eye as she handed the credit card to the bakery girl. "I would like to order fourty dozens, please. Can you guys do delivery?"

The girl froze in her spot at the amount the two girls ordered for, her face going extremely pale as she excused herself to run into the kitchen and holler to the chefs about a BIG order for the buttermilk vanilla cookies that would make their Christmas bonuses. Hearing the shrieks and yelps of joy when she said fourty echoed to the payers of the treats; suddenly lining up to shake their hands. They offered to do individual wrapping of each package of cookies for the children at the hospital to brighten their day just like Sakura and Ino did! What sweet people became during the time of the Holidays...and the Yamanaka credit card at hand as well.

After setting the addressed order, the group of friends left the little store to see the sun starting to set. Chouji choked on his treat as he realized his parents wanted him home to help out with the dinner plans of that night and said his goodbyes quickly before running (or rather, wobbling quickly as he could) down the sidewalk, leaving Kiba to groan at the note that his mother gave him chores to clean the dog kennels at the Kyoto's K-9 unit on the other side of town. He took his time to say goodbye to each person and reminded Naruto he promised to help walk the dogs on Sunday before leaving with a cheerful wave with his cellphone at his ear.

"Baaah, I suppose it is time to go home, Hinataaaa," Naruto drawled lazily while wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzle his face into her soft neck. "I hope you will like the dinner I prepared for you! I did it without my dad's help and everything!"

"O-Okay, Naruto-kun," Hinata giggled as Naruto began backing her up down the other sidewalk. She waved out to her friends as Naruto began nipping her skin softly and causing the poor girl to squeal. "B-bye-bye!"

"Bye, Hinata-chaaaan!" both Ino and Sakura waved back at the same pitch, nearly sounding like twins as Shikamaru and Sasuke stood back with uninterested looks of Naruto's playful manner. Ino sighed and pulled Sakura into a tight hug.

"Wha..? You're leaving, too?" Sakura called out as Ino buried her face in her own chest, suffocating at how much Ino has grown. "I thought you were going to stay overnight and play with the kids with me tomorrow!"

"Daddy wants his princess home before nine, that would leave a few hours for me and Shika-kun to have alone time," Ino stated as she pecked Sakura's forehead to make her growl. "Don't worry, I will be there tomorrow and we can have all sorts of fun! I'll even bring the whips and chains!"

"You pig," Sakura grumbled as she stood up straight from her hug.

"Ah ah, Sa-ku-ra!" Ino rolled Sakura's name as she pulled out a black cellphone with a charm of a cherry hanging from it. "Should I just take your cellphone back home and play Angry Birds all night?"

"No!" Sakura stretched as she yanked her cellphone out of Ino's hand, slipping it into her sweater so that Ino would pose as a threat to the public eye if she were to try and get it back. "I'll be a good girl. I love you, Ino-chan!"

"I love you, too!" Ino squealed as she snuggled Sakura once more, leaving the two boys to turn their heads and pretend that they didn't know the two girls. "Have a good night and make sure you treat this sweater nicely when you take it off; no tearing again!"

"Hai! Bye-bye," Sakura wiggled her fingers as Ino jumped to Shikamaru and began running away, leaving her boyfriend to yell in protest on how troublesome it was to run in the cold. "Goodness, Ino should join the track team when spring comes up, don't you think, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn," Sasuke replied with no interest. He turned his body to face the path that led them back to the hospital, waiting until Sakura caught up to his side and let her eyes wonder all around as the snowflakes started to resume their earlier job of sprinkling from the sunsetting sky. He watched as she eyed a particular snowflake that fluttered down across from then, seeing how her head tilted to the side.

"Sasuke-kun, did you buy something at the store too?" Sakura pointed to the paper ag that was decorated with the store's Christmas logo.

Sasuke blinked slowly before answering. "Yeah."

"What did you get? I didn't see you buy anything before we left," Sakura asked kindly, displaying a sweet smile up to him.

"It's a present for Mother... I saw something she could use in the kitchen in the cooking shelves," Sasuke sighed out, watching his breath come to view against the cold air. "I have to put Itachi's name on it, unfortunately."

"I suppose you won't tell me since you think I would tell Auntie, huh?" Sakura pouted as she wrapped her arm around his when he shook his head. "Aren't you cold, Sasuke-kun? I can give your coat back."

"Nope."

"Stubborn Uchiha," Sakura sighed. Her green eyes lingered over to the paper bag in wonder of what Sasuke had gotten fir his mother. She wishes Sasuke would just tell her the surprise and tease Mikoto by giving her hints that wouldn't prove helpful. She was shocked and slightly angered as Sasuke chuckled under his breath and pulled the bag out of her view when they crossed the street to the enterance of the hospital. "Meanie!"

"Complain all you want, Sakura," Sasuke said cooly as he escorted Sakura back into the hospital building and pressed 'Up' on the elevator, not without ignoring the 'hellos' and stares of the hospital staff had on the two teenagers linked arms and Sakura's bright smile.

=xxx=

Mikoto walked into Sakura's room to find her patient playing on her cellphone and her youngest son falling asleep on the armchair by the closed window with the television on of a program. Her pretty lip twitched as she chucked her clipboard at her son's face to wake him up from his slumbering state and have Sakura yelp in shock as Sasuke's scream of pain.

"Saku-chan, get in the shower while I talk to Sasu-chan," Mikoto commanded in a way-too-polite voice as her painted finger pointed towards the bathroom, having the pink haired gril spring up from her bed and dash into the bathroom, locking the door behind her just in case!

"Mother...that hurt," Sasuke groaned as he rubbed his sore nose that still had Ichigo's love scratches visible. "What has gotten you so angry?"

"Nothing!" Mikoto suddenly squealed like an excited schoolgirl, sending the thought in Sasuke's mind that his mother might be bipolar. "I have great news to share for you!"

"Hn..." Sasuke waited as he crossed his arms with a blank face.

"I have come in contact with a doctor in the Canadian country who has been researching Sakura's infection," Mikoto said in a pleasing voice. "She is working on finding a proper surgical procedure to take the infection out without damaging the tissues! I'm going to announce it to Sakura when she comes home with us!"

"Aa," Sasuke couldn't help but smirk, pleased at his mother's sweet information that reached to his heart. "I bet she will be very pleased to hear that, Mother."

Sasuke heard Sakura singing in the shower as Mikoto noticed the store's bag by his feet. "What is that, Sasu-chan?"

"I got a present for Sakura for Christmas..."

Mikoto's face glowed as the sun as she tried to reach for the bag, missing by a mile as Sasuke was quick to pick up the package by its handles and out of Mikoto's reach. "Lemme see the present, Sasu-chaaaan! I won't tell her, I promise!"

"Sakura said the same thing when I said it was for you," Sasuke stated as he lowered the bag to be snatched from his fingers. He watched with a cool face as his mother went digging into the bag, pulling and throwing red tissue paper all over Sakura's room. "I saw her looking at it when we took her out to town."

Mikoto was gentle as ever as she used both of her soft hands to pull out the Nutcracker music box, eyeing carefully at the glassy details of the two characters in a ballroom position. She smiled huge as she touched the ballerina's bun and accidentally made the figures turn once with one 'ting' of the music; jumping quickly, as if Sakura might've heard it, Mikoto placed the music box back into the paper bag and picked up all of the thrown tissue paper to place it ontop.

"I think she'll love it, Sasu-chan," Mikoto whispered as sneeky as possible. She passed the bag back to her youngest son who shook his head slowly. "You want me to hide it in my office?"

"Patients are not allowed in there...just until Christmas," Sasuke sighed as he sat back down in the armchair. "And _do not _tell Sakura or Nii-sama."

"Ita-chan is such a gossip girl!" Mikoto cooed with puckered lips. She winked at her son before turning to leave. "Please make sure Sakura takes her meds before bed, okay?"

"Hai," Sasuke agreed as Mikoto carefully closed the door with her free hand while the other was carefully holding the paper bag containing Sakura's Christmas present. He rested his head back on the chair's stiff cushion and listened to Sakura's singing as she turned off the shower. Everyone in the hospital and the circle of friends knew Sakura was the kind to sing in the shower, and sometimes would try and sneek a hearing of her voice. On Sasuke's part, for all you curious readers, he was just simply listening to her singing voice and no images at all of what could be seen passed this door.

_"I'm an Angel with a Shotgun_

_Fight until the wars' won!_

_I don't care if Heaven won't take me-"_

A sudden halt in her lyrics made Sasuke open his eyes a little. The felt like at the moment Sakura forgot the rest of the song, since how not another word was said and nothing sound unusual to the Uchiha teenager; he took the chance to raise his head and call out to the girl in the bathroom.

"Sakura, are you alright in there?"

Not a single reply.

"Sakura, answer me." Sasuke rose from the chair and went to go knocking on the door when he heard Sakura having a harsh coughing fit. His eyes widened as he heard her hack up a mouthful of something and try to clear her throat; throwing his hands onto the doorknob and try to open the door. It proved worthless since Sakura locked the door from the inside.

"Hey! Open the door!" Sasuke screamed in panic. He was now literally kicking the door to try and get it to open at will, but let's confess...Uchiha's stubborness is immune to doors.

The coughing continued on the inside of the bathroom as the doornob clicked a little, signaling that Sasuke was now allowed to open the door. He didn't waste time as he burst in to see Sakura in a thick, fluffy towel and coughing into her hand while the other held the towel up in place.

"Sakura, what happened!" Sasuke hissed through his teeth as he held her face up to look at his.

"I -cough!- I swallowed wr-wrong..." Sakura said weakly as she went into another coughing attack, spitting into the sink a thick glob of saliva with very little traces of blood floating around it. She cleared her throat and tried talking again. "I-I'm fine, Sasuke-kun! Don't worry!"

Sasuke's face went pale against the heat in the steamy bathroom when Sakura offered him a sweet smile. She only swallowed wrong, you idiot! Sasuke's lip twitched uneasily as his grip on Sakura's shoulder began to get tighter with every thought running in his mind of what it could've been...

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura's confused voice made his eyes snap up to see her emerald gaze near his face. "Are you feeling okay?"

Sasuke paused for a moment as he suddenly realized how close his face was to Sakuras' wet, damp body; just coming out of the shower to have him find her in only a towel made his insides twist in the thought of having this as a hospital soap. He growled like a animal, making Sakura jump a little, as he released all hold on her and stormed out of the bathroom and slam the door shut behind him.

Sakura stood still for a long minute, just trying to register what was going on... She got nothing.

Sasuke sat as far away as possible from the bathroom door, waiting for Sakura to come out all dressed and ready for bed so he could get the hell out of there and go home! He might even allow Ichigo claw his face of everytime he thought out how Sakura looked when she stopped coughing in that towel- _Towel! _Sasuke slammed his forehead on the wall and just prayed to every god he could think of to shoot him with lightning, or cats. Yes! Sasuke would allow any god to throw those demonic creatures at his face everytime he thought about Sakura in a towe- Sasuke slammed his face on the wall again. It took Sakura another five minutes before opening the door to find the ice-cube king smacking his head on her room's wall.

"Sasuke-kun..." Sasuke's head stopped from coming into contact with the wall once more, "what are you doing?"

"Nothing," Sasuke pressed through his lips as he slumped back into his chair. He risked the glance over to the pink haired woman as she pierced her lips before making her way over to her bedside.

She picked up her many blankets that falled from the dashs he made to hide from Mikoto's wrath, setting them back into place before hopping to her mattress. She looked over to see Sasuke not meeting her eyes and wondered if she did something to cause this weird vibe between them.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said in a slow voice so Sasuke to grasp the words. "I didn't mean to let you think I was choking in there."

Sasuke rest his chin on his palm before letting his eyes look over to Sakura's way, seeing how guilty she looked from something she didn't have control over. He watched her carefully as she took the paper cup that held her medication and gulp it all down with water; he had known Sakura taking about six pills day in night for many reasons to benefit her health, but he didn't now she was capable of taking it all at once, especially when she looked sad like that. His foot shifted as he looked down in shame.

"It's not your fault," Sasuke said in a low voice, still not meeting Sakura's eyes. "I was being over-protective and all that..."

"But you had every reason to be," Sakura added softly.

"No, I don't," Sasuke muttered. "You're not weak, and I believe that. I just get nervous whenever something happens." He finally looked over to see her smiling. Good, that is what he wanted in the first place. "Don't blame yourself for something so stupid, okay?"

"Um!" Sakura smiled bigger at Sasuke's word, slipping her feet under her blankets as she pressed her back against her pillow to look over at the television. "Is there anything good on now?"

"Nothing I like," Sasuke answered quietly, taking the remote and shutting off the T.V as he stood up. "You should get to sleep. I'll be here in the morning to take you to band practice."

"Awesome! I can't wait," Sakura mewed and clapped her fingers lightly. She felt her blankets get magically pulled closer to her, suddenly looking up to see Sasuke covering her body with the blanket. Her cheeks went to the same color as a tomato when Sasuke tucked the blanket around her shoulders with a very calm look on his face.

"Go to sleep, Sakura."

Her emerald green eyes went wide in realisation of _Uchiha Sasuke, _the young man who refuses hugs from _anybody, _who threatens _defensless kittens _to be turned into hats, was _tucking her into bed! _"U-uhm...Sasuke-kun, what are you _doing?"_

"Making sure you go to bed, dummy," Sasuke rolled his eyes. When he noticed how Sakura's hands tried to get the blanket off of her, he scowled with a grunt and covered her hands once more with the blankets. "Stay, got it?"

"Hai..." Sakura sighed in defeat, closing her eyes to settle into her sleeping position: a simple roll to her side and curled up like a cat, pulling her blanket to her chin while her fingers rolled into loose fists. "Arigato, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn," Sasuke voice could be heard to Sakura's ears. A sound of something moving was noticed to Sakura mind as the mattress was pressed down lightly by her head; something _very soft, _smooth and slightly moist press gently on the corwn of Sakura's head.

The sudden pressure on Sakura's head led her green eyes to snap open to see what was going on in her room, she lifted her head to try and find Sasuke still trying to tuck her in place like the stubborn man he was, only met with Sasuke's back and him turning off the lights.

"U-uhm, Sasuke-kun?"

"Goodnight, Sakura," Sasuke's voice pierced her sensitive ears as he closed the door gently behind him, leaving Sakura with a bright red face as she nearly fainted as she tried to reach for her cellphone.

=xxx=

Shikamaru was busy kissing Ino's soft neck as she heard her cellphone go off with her usual ringtone that tells the blonde beauty that she has gotten a text message from her V.I.P list in her contacts. He groaned when Ino pushed his face away and pulled her cell out from her skirt pocket.

"Can't you put it on vibrate?" Shikamaru sighed as he rest his head on Ino's belly, trying to find her tickle spot with his fingers around her ribs. "I thought we were busy here..."

"In a second, Shika-kun," Ino giggled as she opened her cell to open the message folder.

**Saku-chan:**

**INO-CHAN! I HAVE **

**AN EMERGENCY!**

Ino sat up on Shikamaru's bed, pushing him off as she rolled to her sides to land ontop of her dearest boyfriend, ignoring his grunts of pain as she used her magical powers of texting at lightning speed.

**Reply:**

**Whats up, Saku**

**-chan? O:"**

"Ino...you promised."

"I know, just hold on a second!" Ino mewled against his tickling attack. "Sakura has an emergency!" Her eyes widened as she saw her cell's clock strike a minute pass as she sent her message. She literally looked like she was going to cry.

Shikamaru saw the face on his girl's pretty features, furrowing his brows in worry as he heard Sakura's urgent message to Ino during their 'cuddling time'. "Is she okay? She's not sick, is she?"

Ino's cell buzzed within her grip as she opened her folder with tears swelling into her baby-blue eyes. She bit her lip as she waited for the cellphone to upload the text message.

**Saku-chan:**

**Sasuke-kun kissed my**

**head goodnight! TwT"**

Ino's high pitch scream stung Shikamaru's ears that he fell backwards onto his carpet floor. Surely, his parents downstairs thought that there was something fishy going up as he heard his mother question her husband if he checked their son's drawer for good condoms.

**Reply:**

**YEEEEESH! *Q***

**THATS MEH GURL, SAKU**

**-CHAN! :D NOW RAPE HIM!**

Ino eyed over to see her boyfriend looking rather sick. Clipping the phone shut she crawled her way to sit on his lower body and kissed his throat. "I'm sorry, Shika-kuuun!"

"What the _fuck w_as that screaming for?" Shika stressed in his head. "Is Haruno alright or what?"

"Oh yeah, she's perfectly fine," Ino said cooly to shock her dear boyfriend. Her cellphone buzzed once more and she willingly took her time to answer it.

**Saku-chan:**

**STOP BEING HORNY **

**AND HELP ME OUT! I'M**

**CONFUSED TO SHIT HERE! **

**D;"**

Ino sighed. Why must her partner in Yuri be so innocent? It made her sniffle back her tears as she elegantly made her thumbs dance across the keypads.

**Reply:**

**Calm your pants, baby. I'm**

**sure Sasuke had a good reason**

**to kiss that big head of yours!**

**;P Did you ask him why?**

"Ino," Shika growled under his breath, warning the feisty blond that he would steal the damn phone away and shove it in his pants for her to get it back if she didn't stop this playful crap with her girlfriends right now and _cuddle!_

**Saku-chan:**

**He left before I could**

**say anything...o-o;;**

"Noooo!" Ino cried out at the top of her lungs, causing a concerned gasp of Shikamaru's mother be heard through the vent as she commanded her husband to check on then. Shit!

"Ino, I swear to God if you-"

"Hold on Shika-kun! This is way important!" Ino hissed like a angry cat as she shoved her barefoot on Shikamaru's cheek, shutting him up while she opened a new contact to her text messages.

**-Message-**

**Emo-DuckFace:**

**DID YOU KISS MAH GURLZ**

**HEAD AND LEFT HER?! :O**

**I'MMA SKIN YOU ALIVE, YOU**

**DUCK-FACE MUTANT! HOW DARE**

**KISS UR MAMA WIFF DAT MOUTH!**

Shikamaru slipped the cellphone out of the girl's hands and shoved it under his bed, that was covered with textbooks and other junk that Ino didn't dare to look for her cellphone! Ino's mouth gaped at her boyfriend's actions of getting rid of her master plan getting in action, weakly hitting him with her little fists as she cried out.

"Shika-kuuuun! How could you do just a dirty thing to meeee! I thought you were a real gentlemen when handling their woman!" Ino cried out like a baby as Shikamaru took the beatings like a real man, not caring for his girlfriend's attempt to bother him any longer and pushed his lower body upward. "Shika-kun, I'mma-_Oh!"_

The bedroom door slammed opened with Shikamaru's father, Shikaku, getting buggy eyed at Ino blushing deep red while _ontop _of his only son! His lip twitched sickly as Shikamaru looked up to his father's fearful eyes.

"Hello Father," Shikamaru said calmly. "Did you need something?" He kept his lower body upward to Ino's lower half as she purred in pleasure.

Shikaku didn't say a word, just slamming the door shut and yelled the reminder of using protection with Inoichi's daughter, or there will be hell to pay. Shikamaru waited until he heard his father's uneasy footsteps trample down the stairs and return to his mother's side for comfort for what he has witnessed. With that, Shikamaru turned his head back to Ino's flushing face, cupping her cheeks gently as he spoke in a quiet voice.

"You can text after the show, Ino," Shikamaru raised an eyebrow to cause Ino to shiver with delight. "Deal?"

"Uh-huuuh," Ino purred.

Ino's cellphone buzzed under Shikamaru's bed, letting nobody know that it was Uchiha Sasuke who replied to Ino's text message that she sent while he was having a battle with Ichigo over the pillow...

**Emo-DuckFace:**

**Stay out of my business,**

**Yamanaka =_=#**

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- I SHOULD BE FINISHING HOW SHIKAINO SOLVES THEIR PROBLEMS. BUT KITTY ISN'T IN THE MOOD FOR THE GOOD STUFF JUST YET xDDD -please dun kill meh ;w;! How did you think of the SasuSakuness interactions of this chapter and the memory of the Nutcracker play? ewe Kitty always wanted a good-looking guy take her for a dance with Nutcracker music in pretty dresses and all that jazz uwu Even though I hate wearing dresses I CAN STILL DREAM, NE! D: I know I would be the first girl to dance with Itachi-chan at the dancefloor and I would kill any other girl who would get in my way! TwT" May that sexy anime character rest in peace...

I was very happy to feature Killer Bee (aka, Bee-sensei) in this chapter C: I promise this awesome guy will occur later in the chapters as a surprise for all of you (but I won't say whyyyyy~) just because it's all part of the story, ne! AND SAKURA FINALLY MAY HAVE A SOLUTION TO HER INFECTIONS?! COULD IT POSSIBLY MEAN THAT KITTY WON'T HAVE AS MANY CHAPTERS?! O:...

It's all LIES, I tell you!

Wait... I do mean that Sakura MAY have the solution to her illness, but there will SURELY be more chapters to come ;3 -dodges tomatoes being chucked at her by angry people- I LOVE YOU ALL! *A* Remember the things to do to make Kitty a happy fuzzball~!

SONGS USED FOR THIS CHAPTER-

Moves Like Jagger by _Maroon5_- a very good song that I have come to enjoy because it has Christina singing a very smexy part of it; I just had to make Sakura play the part of a naughty girl in a danceclub(World History Class) and get the better singer (I still love Rock Lee) to come in and feel the musical BAMz of things uwu...-derpface- Don't mind me!

Waltz in the Snowflakes by _Tchaikovsky- _I think he is the orignal composer of the Nutcracker, but Kitty knows nothing uwu' She loves the original plays of Nutcracker and other things that is very classical~ It's culture to Kitty D: Classical music is very inspiring!

Angel With a Shotgun by _the Cab- _It was shuffled on my IPod while I wrote that scene ewe'... I love the Cab like a nutty fangirl.

Kitty hopes you all have a nice day and smile! C: Kitty loves it when people are happy, ne! Do something to make you smile, oki?


	5. Chapter 5

-sings- I AM A SUPERSTAR WITH A BIG BIG HOUSE AND A BIG BIG CAR! I AM A SUPERSTAR AND I DON'T CARE WHO YOU AREEEE- -chokes on spit- WAIT, come back to meh ;A; I didn't mean that! Now that I have your attention ;3 Welcome to Chaper Five of Sing To Me, Baby~ I know people have been trying hard to hold their patience in and not go Kitty-Hunting now...Yep! Kitty is always happy when her readers are happy uwu You know? She is always happy to hear people's kind reviews and such to keep her motivated~!

How about Kitty gives imaginary cupcakes to all who at least took a glimpse at Chapter Five? QwQ Kitty doesn't have enough money to make cupcakes and send them to...wherever! So she will have to do with imaginary cupcakes that she made out of love and bubbles (that are edible ewe).

REPLIES TO REVIEWS-

Strawberry000- You're very welcome for the tips C; I'm glad I could help even a little bit. I will still try to get back to you on PM, but I have been busy with work lately so I haven't had a lot of time to do it ;w; I'm sorry about that! I DON'T WANT YOU TO CRY! ;A; Kitty doesn't like making people cry on accident!

harusaki-tsukiko- Ooh, you reviewed on Wilting Roses too...HELLO! 8D Ino is a very amusing character in this fanfiction C; I love that about making fanfictions here because they give you tons of options to mess with characters. That Emo-Duck jerk really does need to grow a pear! D: And I bet Ichigo and Momma Cat would love to do that for you! It can be a present from them to you for being such a kind person to Review Kitty's story xD Danke!

Remember to Review, Follow, Favorite or whatever you do to make yourself happy to make Kitty a happy fuzzball! Nyuuu~ ENJOY!

*DISCLAIMER- THIS NUTTY CHICK CANNOT SING OR MAKE SONG LYRICS TO SAVE HER LIFE, SO SHE FEATURES PROFESSIONALS LYRICS ON HERE TO SHOW HOW MUCH SHE LOVES MUSIC! IF ANYONE HAS AN ISSUE WITH IT, THEY CAN PUNCH THEIR COMPUTER SCREEN AND GO GET ICE CREAM -because sweets feed the anger inside!- AND KITTY STILL HOPES YOU STILL HAVE A GOOD DAY!*

-Note: Kitty is not responsible for any broken computer screens if anyone actually listened to her Disclaimer note o-o...-

=xxx=

**Age Fifteen, Winter**

_Haruno Sakura watched as her World History teacher, Bee-sensei, pushed carts filled with electronic materials covered by a sheet onto the curtained stage of the auditorium; watching as he rapped to himself in quiet beats as he arranged each music machine in a proper place that he saw fit. Her green eyes traveled to the gym clothes she was wearing- all black and rather itchy, picked by Ino herself from her large collection of fashionable gymwear for women. She didn't mind being forced to sit in the dark in itchy clothes, what she did mind was that she could say a single word until Bee-sensei gave her the okay! Sakura hated being silent for a long period of time like this; especially in the dark!_

_"Rada tata, dumdum boo," Bee's uber quiet voice caught Sakura's keen ears as she silently tip-toed her way over to him. He looked up with his dark sunglasses to see her sparkling emeralds. "Little blossom, Little blossom, what makes the snow come in?" he asked in a whispered tune._

_"I don't think this is a good idea, Bee-sensei," Sakura stammered as she looked down to her sneakered shoes. "What if we get in trouble?"_

_"The hummingbird bites the flower, so she gives up?" Bee rolled around to the other side of the stage to grab a cord and rolled his way back to Sakura's feet. "The King Bee has been nuthin' but faithful to the sakura tree!"_

_"I am, Bee-sensei... But I'm nervous about this," Sakura confessed in a stifled hiccup, having the buffed man hop to his feet and place a big hand on her head._

_"The teacher won't let the student down to the Pit of Death," Bee hummed before sliding his feet into a sparkling pose. "May the gods shine, and they shall shiiine upon dis pretty flower! Have no fear, the __**Killer Bee **__is here, chaaa!"_

_Sakura couldn't help but giggle, having his hand hold her mouth shut to stop her in her tracks._

_"I said to be quiet during the exam, students!" A harsh voice echoed behind the closed curtain and Sakura gulped thickly as Bee 'caterpillared' himself to peek under the curtain. He eyed over to the back of Asuma-sensei's head, the head of the math department, scowling at the numerous amount of students who sat in their seats doing their annual winter exam before winter break. Asuma held all of his classes here for the day; filling every seat in the auditorium and had the door opened to let in fresh air of the school's air conditioning. Bee curled his big lips in a smile as he rolled on the floor back over to the pink haired teenager, giving her two thumbs up._

_"The foxy gansta should be a-go with the television in the office," Bee whispered happily in tune. "Soon, the lights will go looow and the star will shiiine..!"_

_Sakura swallowed again and nodded. She knew the plan of Naruto sneaking into the janitor's room and arrange the wires with Juugo to get the security cameras in the auditorium to turn on at their own will and open the speakers of every classroom to hear what would soon take place onstage._

_"Fear not, little blossom," Bee got to his knees, making a sparkle in his sunglasses as he held Sakura's little pale hand in his big dark one. "Killer Bee will open the window to let the petals flyyy. The winds of change can not stop the sparkling star of my pupils, no sir, he can not!"_

_"Arigato, Bee-"_

_"Aaaah," Bee sang in warning._

_"-Killer Bee-sensei...for everything," Sakura smiled bigger as Juugo's whispers could be heard with Suigetsu's voice at the exit of the stage, having Bee sprang gracefully to shut them up and get them into position; having the shy Juugo at the powerbox and Suigetsu to go back into the hallway to get ready._

_"Little blossom, Little bossom," Bee hummed as he glide his way to the record table that was decorated with numerous buttons and switches around the two record disks that layed perfectly in place. "Let's make your world shiiine, by the sound of the Heavens of this poor, dark earth, chaaa!" He snapped his big fingers to signal Juugo to pull the light switch_

_Sakura took a deep breath and braced herself as she unzipped her sweatjacket._

_Asuma eyes every student that had their head down, suddenly jumping to the darkness that slammed its way into the once bright auditorium. He called out for whoever pulled the lightswitch by one of the doors to knock it off with their prank. When no one replied to the angered teacher, he got up from his chair infront of the stage and stomped with each step over to one of the opened door to peek out._

_A sound of a beatful tune spooked the poor math teacher to nearly falling over as every student's head popped up towards the stage; it's heavy blue curtain raising up slowly as fake smoke from Juugo's smoke machine snuck out to cover the stage as a little foot tapped to the bead._

_"Let's do this!" Sakura whispered with confident as her sparkling eyes met every eye of the student body._

_Naruto heard the guitar solo start, pressing the red button of the control panel to have every single T.V. pop alive with static and slowly fade to the scene of the auditorium as bursting colors of lights flashed out over the rising crowd of the students dropping their math exams. He snickered as he flipped the switch to turn on speakers that originally held the boring voices of adults to let Sakura's pretty voice match with the wink she gave to the camera._

_"Let's go to the beach, each_

_Let's go get away!_

_They say, what they gonna say?_

_Have a drink, CLINK, found the Bud Light_

_Bad bitches like me, is hard to come by!_

_The Patron, own, let's go get it on_

_The zone, own, yes I'm in the zone!_

_Is it two, three? Leave a good tip!_

_I'ma blow all my money and don't give two shits!"_

_Sasuke raised his head in his AP Chemistry class to see what the other students were getting rowdy about over the sound of music bleeding through the speakers and bright lights emerge from the T.V. It took the poor guy a minute to notice the pink hair sparkle against the white spotlight to find out it was none other then his dear friend Sakura Haruno. He quickly rose from his chair as everyone in class, including the teacher, neglect their papers to get a closer look at the screen._

_"Hey! Isn't that Haruno-san from our AP Literature class?" a student asked outloud to her friend as Sasuke tried to get closer to the television. "What is she doing in the auditorium? Isn't Asuma-sensei having that math exam there?"_

_"I don't know, but I'm going to check it out!" another student squealed as she and other students piled out of the classroom to run in the hallways with the growing crowd._

_Sakura smiled as the students in the auditorium began clapping for her performance as she tilts her skirted hip to the side and swish her arm out in smooth motions just like Bee had taught her during practice._

_"I'm on the floor, floor_

_I love to dance,_

_So give me more, more 'til I can't stand!"_

_She pointed to the crowd of student who applaude gradually at her enchanting spell of command._

_"Get on the floor, floor_

_Like it's your last chance!_

_If you want more, more_

_Then here I am!" _

_She felt Bee's big drop into the popping tune of his records as he played the surprising tune of the song they worked so hard on._

_"Starships were meant to fly_

_Hands up and touch the sky!"_

_Sakura raised her free hand into the air as the other pressed the microphone to her glossy lips, hurrying across the stage to make the students obey by reaching as high as they could to touch her fingertips. She noticed more students coming into the large area and join the crowd, making her smile._

_"Can't stop 'cause we're so high_

_Let's do this one more time:_

_Starships were meant to fly_

_Hands up and touch the sky!_

_Let's do this one last time_

_Can't stop..."_

_Bee sprang from behind of his record counter, microphone piece in his ear and pressed against his mouth as Sakura slid to the side to allow him to start break dancing to the beat as he changed the pitch of his deep voice._

_"We're higher then a motherfucka!"_

_The crowed literally cried out in joy as they pumped their fists into the air to encourage the teacher on as he spin on his hip and pushed himself up with his hands to land on his feet; kicking out as if he was doing an Irish dance as he repeated the same lyric over again._

_"We're higher then a motherfucka!"_

_Bee raised his hands into the sky to beckon the piling students join him at the last call._

_**"We're higher then a motherfucka!"**_

_Bee pulled the pink haired singer back into the middle of the stage, making the students and teachers call out as she shook her hips to the beat with the microphone above her as she raised her chin._

_"Jump in my hooptie hooptie hoop_

_I own that!_

_And I ain't paying my rent this month_

_I owe that!_

_But fuck who you want, and fuck who you like!_

_That's our life, there's no end in sight!"_

_She closed her eyes as she bent her knees slightly._

_"Twinkle, twinkle little star!"_

_She jumped up and watched as students tried to copy her._

_"Now everybody let me hear you say ray ray ray_

_Now spend all your money cause today's pay day!_

_And if you're a G, you a G, G, G!_

_My name is Sakura_

_But you can call my Cherry!"_

_Sasuke ran through the empty hallways towards the auditorium, trying to jump over anything that the students dumped to make their way to the designated place to find a large corwd of students sticking out all of the exits the auditorium held. Damn it, there was no way he was able to get inside..._

_"Teme! Over here!" Naruto's voice echoed agains the crowd's cries as he opened the stage door for him, pulling him inside before anyone else could try and sneek through._

_Sasuke found Juugo playing with a remote control of the lights as he shinned it across the waves of bodies that used to be Asuma's torture chamber of exams. Getting nudged by Suigetsu's elbow as he led the Uchiha to the back curtain to get a perfect view of Sakura's side as she danced around to the music as Bee switched it back._

_"Get on the floor, floor_

_Like it's your last chance!_

_If you want more, more_

_Then here I am!"_

_Sasuke watched with wide eyes as Sakura paused her body and reached her free hand out to the screaming crowd as they sang along in her echo, slowly reaching to the ceiling._

_"Starships were meant to fly_

_Hands up and touch the sky!"_

_Sasuke noticed how every hand was up in the air as Sakura dipped her head gracefully, a single drop of sweat from the stage's hot lights finally getting to her._

_"Let's do this one more time_

_Can't stop..."_

_Sasuke nearly fell back at Bee's large body sprang out of nowhere as his tuned voice was fixed by Juugo's magical fingers on the control panels._

_"We're higher then a mutherfucka!_

_We're higher then a motherfucka!_

_Higher then a-!"_

_Sakura's whispering voice startled him as well as she intrupted Bee's sentence in time for the teacher to pull out his cell phone and light it as he swayed it above his head; having every student with a cellphone do the same (and Asuma lighting up his cigarette lighter in the back). _

_"Starships were meant to fly_

_Hands up and touch the sky..._

_Can't stop 'cause we're so high..._

_Let's do this one more time..!"_

_Sakura raised her free hand to hold her head as he tilted her chin back and pointed the microphone towards the crowd who sang the ending at one being._

_"Starships were meant to fly!_

_Hands up and touch the sky!_

_Can't stop 'cause we're so high!_

_Let's do this one last time_

_Can't stop-"_

_Sakura and Bee jumped a good three feet into the air as they screamed with the crowd:_

_**"We're higher then a motherfucka!"**_

_Bee took hold of Sakura's small hand and bowed lowly as the crowd cheered at the shut off lights that once colored them and pointed at the two singers as one rainbow spotlight, roaring the walls as loud as possible with claps and screams as everyone continued chanting the lyrics and dancing with one another as Juugo replayed the song he recorded off of Bee's records and placed them in his IPod. The two heaving bodies of student and teacher slowly raised up as Bee took Sakura's microphone and pressed it to his big lips._

_"Killer Bee and Cherry, ev-ry-bo-deeeeh!" He pumped a fist out to the crowd as Sakura bowed again with the audience's screams stung their ears and ran off the stage. Bee scurring to congradulate all the boys who took part in skipping class for this performance in a rap as Sakura met Sasuke's eyes in a instant she hid away from the crowd, her cheeks blushing deeply as she smiled at him._

_"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried out happily as she jumped into Sasuke's arm, which gradually wrapped around her small frame. "I'm so glad you came for the show!"_

_"Hn..." Sasuke smirked widely as he pat Sakura's damp head. "You did a good job."_

_"Thank you," Sakura chirped as she jumped in place with her hands shaking with excitement. "I'm really thristy though! My chest is starting to hurt..!"_

_Sasuke sighed as he took her small wrist and guide her passed their friend's bodies to get her to a waterfountain to ease the pain in her chest._

_Oh, how Sakura was a handful for Uchiha Sasuke!_

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Five- Hear Me Cry!

Sakura hummed a sweet song to the little child in her arms, burying his teary face into the crook of her neck as the nurse used alcohol to clean the child's upper arm, making the child squeal in fear for what was to come. Poor child, only the age of five and didn't want his flu shot! Good thing Sakura was just passing by his room for him to spring from his parents' lap and cling to her legs and begged her to help him get through the nasty needle. Knowing Sakura so well already, the parents offered a smile as Sakura picked up the crying toddler and suggested songs for her to humm to him while he hid his eyes away from the nurse's activities.

"It's gonna hurt, Saku-neechan!" the child cried out in fear, showing Sakura his large tears and little boogers oozing out of his little nose, having Sakura wipe it all up with a tissue his mother gave her. "I don't want it!"

"Why not sing with me, honey?" Sakura cooed softly as she kissed the toddler's head gently and bounced him a little. "Your mommy and daddy are here to make sure you sing with me until it's all over!"

"U-Um!" the child hid his cleaned face back on Sakura's warm shoulder as he started humming a song that the child was obsessed with.

_"Yum yum, bumblebee_

_Bumblebee tuna!_

_I love bumble, bumblebee tuna!"_

To be honest, this particular child in Sakura's case hated tuna! Yet, everytime he hears the commercial of the dancing tuna cans and sing the catchy tune, he will fall head over heels to sing along with it. Sakura hummed the commercial tune as the child sang as loud as he could when the nurse stuck the thin kneedle into the kid's soft skin.

"All done!" the nurse announced with a breath.

"Wut?" the child asked confused, suddenly eyeing the band-aid on his arm as his big eyes glittered with sparkles as Sakura set him down to run to his parents. "I did it! I got my flu shot, Mommy! I'm a big boy now!"

"Yes you are, honey," his mother gushed as she kissed her son's head and hugged him. "You're as tough as your daddy, little man!"

"I'm a little man, Daddy! Look at me!" the child squealed as his father picked him up and praised him for his bravery. He whispered to his happy wife that he will settle their son with a movie while she went to go use the restroom.

The mother took Sakura's hand quickly and pulled her out while the nurse gave the child options of what he could watch for the time being. "You're so great with children, Sakura-chan. I don't know what we would do without you!"

Sakura blushed a little and scratched her cheek. "It's nothing... I played with your son tons of times in the play room and I guess he thinks of my as his big sister..!" She noticed how the mother hled her hands in prayer, sending Sakura to another set of confusion.

"You have inspired my little man into being the best big brother he could be..." she pressed her wedding hand to her belly that showed a slight bump, causing Sakura to gush at the little thing growing inside of her. "Thank you so much for everything you've done and I hope we can still be in touch when my little man discharges..."

"Of course I will!" Sakura hummed cheerfully, grasping the mother's elegant hand. "Talk to Doctor Mikoto and I can write letters to your little man and have his hospital buddies draw him pictures!"

"Oh, that would be so lovely, Sakura-chan," the mother's eyes glowed in awe as she hugged Sakura. "You know, I can see you being a wonderful mother and being a loving wife someday! You would make everyday worthwhile, you know."

Sakura giggled cutely as the mother bid her farewells and scurried to the nearest bathroom, thinking of the comment of Sakura being a mother and wife stayed in her mind as she walked over to the elevator and pressed 'Down'.

'A mother and...loving wife, huh?' Sakura's innerself gushed at the imagination of Sakura cuddling a bundle of blanket that held her bald baby inside as she pretended to feel the baby's heartbeat against her chest as she kissed the little nose. 'Wouldn't that be a miracle...'

Sakura sometimes thought of what her future would be like if she ever made it out of the hospital, but sometimes she forcefully proved herself wrong at the idea of being a _mother, _let alone a _wife _to some man who hanted to share his life with! She didn't believe she was pretty enough or held much promise in being a actual wife if she would need constant medical attention and payments in her constant care at the hospital. What man would want to go through that?

Sakura sighed silently as she looked up to the decreasing numbers of floors she was passing through as top speed, ignoring her innerself's plea to allow the thoughts of holding her own child in her arms as she would sing a lullaby her mother would sing to her when she had nightmares as a child. She wished she would see the video tape Chiyo had back at her place to watch her mother holding the newborn Sakura in her hospital bed as Kizashi held the camera as she sang to the sleeping infant in her arms; looking so lovingly to the sleeping baby as her finger gently touched her chin and brushed against her faint pink hair that she inherited from her father's side of the family. Mebuki would smile up to the camera as she took Sakura's balled up fist and have her wave to the new daddy and kiss her cheek before telling Kizashi to turn off the damn thing and come hold his baby girl!

The elevator door opened and Sakura walked out to find Sasuke waiting, casually and cooly as ever, at the lobby where visitors would wait for their relatives or friends. Sakura sucked in a big gulp of air, remembering what Ino's reply was at ten at night (after apologizing for Shikamaru's intruption).

**Ino-chan:**

**Try to act like nothing**

**happened and let nature**

**take its course, baby! ;3**

**Let me know if he does any-**

**thing fishy to your goods, 'cause**

**they're mine!**

Sakura's eyebrow twitched when she read the text message for the first time when she got up that morning, just wishing to walk over to Ino's house and cut all her hair for saying such a pervy comment! Sure, Sakura was an innocent girl, still a fresh strawberry in the patch to have yet be picked and- where the hell does this symbolism come from, damn it? Sakura did not like to be compared with fruit! Even though Ino sometimes tells Sakura she is a strawberry or somekind of berry that would have yet to be picked into the world of reality: such as make-out sessions and _other things. _

Sakura exhaled and inhaled again before putting on her usual smile and walk towards Sasuke's back. If Sasuke was going to wait for Sakura to ask what the fuck happened with the kiss to her head last night, he had another thing coming from his spunky lady! Sakura doesn't fall easily to men's flirts like Ino does everytime they went to a party before she tied the dating knot to Shikamaru.

Sasuke sat lazily in the uncomfortable chair, staring at...nothing. Why was this wall not decorated with seasonal scenery like the other lobby? Sasuke would much rather stare at a summer painting made by a french paintist then watch a ant crawl up and get tangled in a spider's web. He has only waited for a particular person to show for for three minutes and he was already bored out of his mind as he watched the spider munch on the ant's head...was he really this bored?

"Sasuke-kun!" a answer to Sasuke's plea came to his ear as he turned his head around to see Sakura standing behind him and tried to match his gaze at the wall. "What'cha looking at, Sasuke-kun?"

"Nothing interesting," Sasuke sighed as he got up from the chair and stretched. The first two things the young Uchiha noticed was that Sakura was acting totally normal and... "Where is your jacket?"

"I dunno," Sakura hummed out without a care. "It's not that cold outside!"

"The weather report said it was colder then yesterday," Sasuke twitched as he peeled off his jacket and threw it over Sakura's shoulders, ignoring the looks of the female nurses and their giggles.

"But it's just a walk to your freakin' car! I don't need a coat if I'm just stepping outside and into a car for two minutes tops," Sakura defended by puffing her cheeks.

"I don't care, Sakura."

"Bah! All you Uchihas are stubborn as a nail!" Sakura stomped out the sliding door into the chillyness of the given winter's breeze as Sasuke smirked as he followed the upset girl to the middle of the parking lot and demanded stubbornly where he parked. Digging into every pocket that Sasuke's coat held until she found the car keys, giggling happily as she pressed the unlock button to find Sasuke's black car right behind her. When she saw Sasuke's teasing smirk, she came up with a Haruno glare of her own, a mixture of Kushina and Mikoto's evil faces. "Don't you dare tease me about that, you butt-face!"

"I didn't say anything," Sasuke defended as he picked his keys out of Sakura's fingers, tossing them into his palm as he made his way to the driver's door and Sakura scampered across the patches of ice to get in the passenger seat. He started the car with a cool face and turned on the heat that hadn't cooled down enough to blast cold air out, and was met with warmth and hearing Sakura sigh. "Told you."

"I'm not cold!" Sakura 'humph'-ed and crossed her arms in Sasuke's jacket. She pressed herself deeper into the seat and reminded Sasuke of an upset child.

Sasuke only smirked when Sakura's fingers reached out to play with his radio to the rock station as he began driving to band practice.

=xxx=

Ino heard the chatter of her two friends down the hallway that lead to the school's auditorium and began going into a frenzy from her bored state; springing from her spot on the floor and look for the others that were setting up onstage.

"They're coming!" Ino sang in a giddy tone as she clung to Hinata's shoulder, making the poor girl shriek in surprise and nearly faint. "They're coming!"

"God Ino, you make it sound like it's the President of the United States of America..." Suigetsu sighed as he placed his last drum piece in place. "Calm those bouncing boobs and sit the hell down!"

"Those are my boobs," Shikamaru growled while he helped Juugo find the right pitch of the microphone, unconsiously speaking that line into the mic and hear a shriek of laughter coming from the end of the auditorium.

"Holy shit, Shikamaru-kun!" Sakura's squeal of laughing stung Sasuke's ear as he shook his head in dispproval. "You're making my belly huuurt! Owwie-ahahaha!"

"Shut up, fool!" Shikamaru hissed into the mic and glide away to help Naruto with his bass strings, arguing with his cousin, Karin, that they weren't the right size.

"No, no," Naruto whimpered as Karin held up another set that was too small. "I asked for the size three, Karin! They're numbered, Dattebayo!"

"In chocolate sauce, you bafoon!" Karin spat in return to Naruto's lack of organizing. "God, it can't be that hard like my perfume collection..."

"Just give up, Karin," Suigetsu whistled. "Just because you two are related doesn't mean you can argue over the stupid things."

"Yeah, give it all to your boyfriend!" Naruto agreed.

Karin's vein popped as she threw both of her heels at her cousin and boyfriend's unprotected face. "You take that back, you two!"

"Where is TenTen?" Sakura asked politely after Hinata clung to dear life to Sakura's body, away from Ino's prying hands of slipping under her sweater to check to see if she was wearing the bra she bought for her.

"S-she couldn't make it today," Hinata hummed softly. "N-Neji-niisama asked her to a big dinner party and is going shopping for a dress for tonight."

"Ohh, thats so sweet!" Sakura gushed as she hugged her friend back gently. "I didn't know your cousin was a sweetheart to TenTen! I'm going to bother her about it tomorrow with tons of text messages!"

"I second that!" Ino added in before dancing her way over to Shikamaru and kiss his cheek adoringly. "We will swarm her text messages and email inbox until she cries no more!"

Sakura giggled as Hinata tugged her hand to follow to help her boyfriend out with his guitar strings, since Karin flatly refused to assist so she could smack Suigetsu until he was a puddle of water. After waving hello to Karin, who politely nodded back to Sakura before going back to punishing her lover, pulled the right size strings that was hidden by Naruto's bottom- sitting right on the pack of strings!

"Ne, what would I do without you, Sakura-chaaan!" Naruto praised as he hugged the bag of string as Sakura wacked his skull for his stupidity. "OWWWWIE, WHAT WAS THAT- Oh, wait... Nevermind, I understand it was my fault!"

Sasuke watched as he hopped up to the stage and had Juugo hand him over his navy blue, electric guitar with gentle care. "Are you feeling okay, Sasuke?" Juugo asked in a hushed tone so that no one around him could hear.

"Just fine, Juugo," Sasuke answered bluntly. He took the instrument and wrapped the sash over his head to settle the guitar in it's rightful place.

"If you still feel...upset about Neji's comment this morning, you can always borrow my pass to the weight room and beat a bag," Juugo offered politely, offering him a smile to his friend. Juugo was once knowned as a young man who could not control his temper over the slightest issues: once accidentally harming another student who purposely dumped their tray of food on the porr outcast's head. It was all thanks to Sakura who pulled him out of in-school detention to guide him to the band practice of Shippuden; asking him if he was the one who succeeded in electronic stuff and would help him out with his struggles. Juugo gradually warmed up to Sakura and sought her out as a sister figure: having him join the wrestling team to let of his anger and also join his 'service' to the Shippuden band. The teachers saw a great difference in the student they figured had no hope...

"I said I'm fine, Juugo."

"I'm sorry if a troubled you..." Juugo was a sensitive sort and was actually a sweet-natured man once you see past his bulky build. "I was just trying to help."

"I know, Juugo and you're doing a good job just by asking," Sasuke said with a simple nod of approval for the shy man. "How are the speakers holding up?"

"Not yet blown out from the last practice. We should be good for the next performance," Juugo calculated the formula in his head of which speakers would give out first, turning away from the Uchiha and walking back to his little desk covered with wires and other electric thingys he collected. "Just try to keep it down to a nursing home volume and not a church's gospel!"

"Will do," Sasuke called back as he tested the string in a random guitar tune. His eyes randomly wandered everywhere where his friends moved and played around, since he didn't need to look at his hands anyway, he watched how Sakura was paying close attention into fitting the last string of Naruto's instrument; minding how her lips pucker up in a rather cute way when she was really focused on something. The Uchiha man smirked to himself as he ripped his fingers across the neck of his guitar to get the girl's attention, sticking her tongue out teasingly as he chuckled lightly at her childish actions.

"Hey Sasuke! Quit showing off and pick a song to start practicing!" Suigetsu yelled over the guitar's constant speed of rythm. "I have to get Karin home by six and I wanted to take her out to look at the fishes for my fish tank!"

"Let's do track three," Sasuke suggested and turned to Naruto who was getting ready to start. "What do you think, Dobe?"

"Yeeeees!" Naruto screamed as Sakura, Karin and Hinata jumped down from the stage and sat with Ino (because Shikamaru was going to get something to drink) in the seats, ready to hear the song as Naruto struck his bass guitar.

Suigetsu guided Sasuke's voice with the lyrics as he purposly strung his throat into a rythmic tune:

_"How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable_

_So condescending unnecessarily critical..._

_I have the tendency of getting very physcial!_

_So watch your step 'cause if I do you'll need a miracle_

_You drain me dry and make me wonder why I'm even here_

_This double vision I was seeing is finally clear!_

_You want to stay but you know very well I want you gone-_

_Not fit to fuckin' tread the ground I'm walking on!"_

Sakura watched with careful eyes to catch every movement Sasuke was making, noting the proper moves for the lyrics as Suigetsu and Naruto played the lyrics properly and had to make sure Sasuke was fitting with the bandmates. She watched as Sasuke's mouth gape open as he made a purposely angered face at the imaginary enemy that was linked to the story of the song.

"Oi, Saku-chan," Ino yelled by Sakura. "I'm hungry, you wanna come with to get a snack?"

"Sure!" Sakura called back as she nudged Hinata's shoulder to let her know she was leaving, getting the simple nod from the shy girl as Sakura stood up with Ino and was lead out of the auditorium.

Ino snickered loudly against the echoes of the song of Sasuke's voice ringing through the deserted hallways of the High School. "I can't believe Sasuke-kun is acting _sooo _bland after what he did last night!"

"Ino! You dragged me out here to talk about this?" Sakura stammered as she tried to halt her footing, but Ino kept pulling. "You could've just texted it to me, you know!"

"Aa, but I prefer to get the juicy details upfront," Ino purred as she cornered Sakura by the vending machine, making sure there was no way for her pink haired prey to escape. "So, tell me, what exactly happened last night?"

"N-nothing!" Sakura gulped as she let her green eyes wander anywhere but at her friend's taunting gaze. "S-Sasuke-kun just tucked me into b-bed and-"

"_Ermehgerrrd! _Uchiha Sasuke-kun tucked you into bed?" Ino squealed outloud, grasping Sakura's fragile shoulders. "What happened next, Saku-chan? Spill it to momma!"

"...H-he tucked me into bed, making sure that I didn't try and sneak out," Sakura started to play with her index fingers just like Hinata. "I situated myself to get more comfortable... I closed my eyes and...he kissed my head right here." Sakura poked the crown of her head in show of where exactly Sasuke's mouth had been. "Then he left the room and said goodnight. Thats it."

"Jesus..." Ino grumbled, a vein popping on her temple. "That fucking Uchiha mojo about being hard to get..!"

"Ino-chan, I am _really _confused about this," Sakura flushed, rubbing her shirt's sleeve under her nose to make sure the winter's breeze didn't get to her. "I don't really get this... Does Sasuke-kun like me?"

"I dunno!" Ino yelped, causing her friend to jump in her grip. Ino planted a toothly smile on her pretty features as she cupped Sakura's face gently, like a mother assuring her child of a bad storm leaving. "Saku-chan, you know I love you, right? You're like the sister I've always wanted."

"Yeah, I know..." Sakura blinked slowly. "You're like a sister to me, too."

"And that is why I'm going to help you through this!" Ino stated like a savior to the poor girl. "I'm going to let Sasuke-kun know that Haruno Sakura is a one-of-a-kind girl and he will have to work for it!"

"U-uhm... What?" Sakura was confused at the sparkle in Ino's baby-blue eyes as she suddenly hugged Sakura tightly. "What are you thinking of, Ino-chan?"

"I'm thinking of how to make you look like a princess," Ino hummed as she looked over her next project, tugging Sakura's hands up gently to examine the small curves the pink haired teenager possessed. "Let me see... I'm sure Mommy has something that will fit you perfectly!"

"For what?" Sakura almost yelled.

"For your date with Sasuke-kun!" Ino glittered at her. "He's going to beg you to go out with him once I'm done with you!"

"Ino..." Sakura began with her warning but was met to shut up with Ino's pretty hand covering hers' to stop her.

"Just let me try this out and I promise I would never ever, never ever, never ever bother you again about girly stuff! Think of it as like an early Christmas present from me to you," Ino suggested softly. "I know you've had your eyes out for Sasuke-kun since we bickered over him back in the sandbox, but now I'm going to let that little Sakura I used to baby sprout into the sexiest girl I know- besides myself, of course."

"Ino-chan..." Sakura whispered through her lips. "I don't think I _want _to do this! Sasuke-kun has been one of my closest friends through thick in thin; I don't want to ruin that with a actual relationship."

"That is why you _need _to make him fall for you, silly!" Ino stuck her tongue out. "You need to sort out your needs and wants, honestly! They're two different things, you know!"

Sasuke's song was slowly coming to an ending as his lyrics broke through the conversation between the two girls. Ino turned her head back to see Shikamaru re-entering the auditorium with a bag of cookies. She smiled evily to herself as she would have to cancel all of her 'fun time' with Shikamaru for the next week.

"You're coming over to my house for lunch," Ino announced to the stuttering girl. "I'll arrange everything for you so you don't have to lift a pretty little finger, Saku-chan! Fairy Godmother Ino is here to make your dreams come true."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You can't make Sasuke-kun go out on a date with _me, _Ino. I'm just his friend... I'm just _Sakura!" _She stuck her hands at herself to present the normal, average Haruno Sakura that hasn't changed her out-of-school style since she was emitted into the hospital at the age of thirteen. "What is there for me to offer to a guy, let alone Sasuke-kun?"

"That is something you will have to tell me, Saku-chan," Ino smiled sweetly. "You may not see it yet, but you are truly a special girl any guy would love to have!"

"Really..?" Sakura blushed a little as Ino took hold of her hand and hugged it.

"Uh-huh, and Sasuke-kun is about to find out how much he needs you in his life," Ino winked at her dearest friend- her dearest sister as she pulled her along to go back into the auditorium as the Shippuden band finished their song with light applause.

=xxx=

"What do you mean you're taking Sakura?" Sasuke grumbled as he was met up with Yamanaka Ino's announcement of stealing Sakura away for the rest of the day while Sasuke needs male bonding time for once. "What do you plan on doing with her?"

"Girl stuff, you idiot!" Ino scoffed as she hugged Sakura to her side. "This poor girl needs more time with her girlfriends in a girl's room, instead of being cooped up in a hospital room all the time; I'm doing her a great favor!"

Sasuke eyed over to the -surprisingly- silent pink haired girl who only sighed and nodded with whatever Ino was saying. Since when did Sakura find the need to have girl time with the woman who tried to sexually harrass her in the bathroom to get her dressed?

"Sakura, do you want to go with Yamanaka?" Sasuke asked with a slightly raised brow.

Sakura met her eyes with Sasuke and nodded with forceful confidence. "I would be nice to do girl stuff with Hinata and Ino every once in a while... I would be back at the hospital in time for dinner so Auntie Mikoto wouldn't have to beat you silly for letting go of the leash!" She smiled brightly at the ice-cubed man. "I promise I'll behave! Please?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura's lip pouting at him, reminding of Mikoto back in the day when she asked her youngest son to give her a kiss on the cheek goodnight before bed. He raked a hand through his spikey locks and sighed. "Be back by the hospital by seven, so I know you made it back alright."

"Yay!" Sakura and Ino cheered with Hinata coming over to ask if she could join, not knowing what she was getting herself into. With either girl's arms lock with Hinatas', they marched out like soldiers in line as Hinata called to Naruto to call her later.

"Why don't you go with them, Karin?" Suigetsu complained.

"I don't know them well enough to go to their little get-togethers," Karin hissed back at her boyfriend, only to recieve his stupid smile as he tried to steal a kiss from her.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he heard Sakura chant a marching song while Ino echoed in response and Hinata squealed at the sudden tickles the two girls gave her. 'She better not get into trouble...'

Kushina was listening to the radio as her friend and dress designer, Yamanaka Chi, played around with the hem of the dress Kushina was being fit into; a simple color of sea-foam green with silvery lace that trimmed her chest and waist very nicely, her uber long hair was put up lazily in a messy bun as she felt Chi's hands roam around her leg as she carefully pinned kneedles into the fabric and not prick Kushina's lovely skin.

"Isn't the snow pretty, Chi-chan?" Kushina sighed dreamily as she looked out the window. "It makes me think of the wedding Minato-kun and I had, remember?"

"It was a snowstorm and you still insisted on having the wedding outside," Chi's shy, yet soft voice replied to Kushina as she smiled up to her with her soft brown eyes. "Minato has icicles hanging from his hair by the time the reception started."

"Ah, that was my favorite part!" Kushina sighed again. "I would kiss Minato-kun's cheeks until they warmed up and he got bold!" She couldn't help but wiggle her hips as Chi jumped back before a pin could stick through her dear friend's skin.

A sudden slam of a door being opened made Chi jump in fright as she heard a high-pitched voice of an all too familiar girl. _"Mommy! I have an emergency!"_

"Ino-chan, please keep your voice down! Your father is resting upstairs," Chi whispered hushes to her loud daughter, leaving Kushina to twirl in her stool to see Hyuuga Hinata, the thief of her son's heart and Haruno Sakura, Mebuki's child and Kushina's documented niece.

"Saku-chaaaan! I'm so glad to see you out of the stinky hospital room," Kushina chirped as she reached her arms out towards the pink haired teenager. "And Hinata! Come give your future mother-in-law a huggle, too!"

"Auntie!" Sakura giggled as she carefully hugged Kushina's beautiful arm and Hinata took the other; a rather odd hugging position, but it made sense for Kushina's height on the stool was an extra foot into the air. "How are you doing?"

"Just fine and dandy!" Kushina purred as she hopped down from her stool to touch Sakura's flushing cheek. "What brings you here to the studio at this hour? Shouldn't Sasu-chan be getting you back to Mikoto-chan by now?"

"Ino-chan invited me over for...for..." Sakura seemed to be lost at words and looked over to Ino for assistance.

"Saku-chan needs a fashion emergency, Mommy!" Ino wept fake tears. "I'm trying to get Sasuke-kun to notice her true colors of beauty but the poor woman doesn't know how..."

"Not like that..." Sakura stammered with a twitching lip.

"Sasu-chan..?" Kushina processed the given hints that the teenagers were giving off before patting a fist into her own palm with sparkling stars in her eyes. _"Holy buckets of ice cream at a hot summer's day! _It is finally happening, Chi-chan!"

"Eh..?" Chi blinked her warm brown eyes in confusion as her daughter pet her silvery blonde hair.

"Mommy, we're going to make Saku-chan look like a princess for the Emo-Duck Uchiha," Ino smiled warmly at her shy mother. She saw how Hinata and Chi acted so alike when they were shy and confused. "Can you help us out?"

"I don't see why not..." Chi smiled shyly, playing with her fingers as she looked Sakura over carefully. "Sakura has a very nice figure, it shouldn't be difficult at all. What should we start with?"

"I already got the panties and bras taken care of," Ino blurted out as Sakura jumped back from Chi and Kushina's reaching hands. "I want to try and get her to look more noticable to the eyes of men!"

"Please don't go overboard with it, Aunties!" Sakura pleaded as Kushina cornered her in the walk-in closet filled with fabric materials and finished projects for Chi's new clothing line. "I won't want to look like a slut."

"I wouldn't make you look like a slut," Chi whimpered lightly as she snuggled up to the pink haired girl, pressing her fingers onto the soft skin of Sakura's belly. "Do I ever make you look slutty, Kushina-chan?"

"Never!" Kushina purred as she pulled Sakura's pink cheeks. "We're going to make Saku-chan one of us..." Kushina started chanting the 'one of us' voice with Ino joining in while Hinata assisted with Chi to look at fabric colors.

Sakura sighed as Kushina pulled her behind the changing curtain and began pulling her clothes off. She certainly felt like she was back in the hospital bathroom with Ino as Kushina's elegant fingers tickled Sakura's ribs as she pulled the measuring tape around her hips swiftly as Chi came back to compare colors that made Sakura's emerald gems pop out.

"I want to try white," Chi said softly as she picked a soft shade of glowing white and ran back to the pile of ribbons that she would use for sashes and sorts of laced details.

Sakura whimpered as Ino began patting her face to see what different shades of pink would fit for a blush within her collection of make-up. She wished she was back at the hospital really badly now...not to mention that Mikoto would be furious that she wasn't part of the 'fun' with her friends!

=xxx=

Mikoto watched with dreamy eyes as she sighed softly at the two dancing figures of the Nutcracker and his darling ballerina; tapping her finger softly to the bell-like 'tings' as the music box continued to play the lullaby tune of a waltz that drowned Mikoto's occupation as a busy doctor who was suppose to be emailing her busband about tonight's dinner plans and was instead focusing on the Christmas present Sasuke had trusted Mikoto to hide in her messy office space. But Mikoto couldn't help but listen to the pretty music once.

'Sasu-chan picked out a perfect present,' Mikoto thought joyfully as the figures slowed down as the tune began to die out softly. She smiled brightly as she picked it up carefully and carried the fragile item to the tall cabinet where she placed all her important stuff with a lock and key: her favorite pictures of her family at vacations, a special mug Itachi made in pottery class in Junior High and Mother's Day card from her two boys and the Uzumaki and Haruno children. She chosed to hide the gift in here where it can not be taken from any nurses, who will surely get a mouthful from the great Uchiha woman!

She settled the music box on the shelf and picked a spec of dust off of the weaved frames of painted gold, gently closing the door and locking it securely to put the key back into her purse by her desk. Right ontime for her office phone to ring.

"Doctor Uchiha speaking, how may I help you?" Mikoto said softly into the phone, still in the trance of the Nutcracker song playing in her head.

"Mikoto-chaaaan!" Kushina's childish voice pierced into her ear.

"Kushina-chan, I'm still working," Mikoto pouted at the woman's sudden hyperness. She was so used to her dear friend's hyperactive attitude whenever she had news to tell. "What is it, my dear?"

"Chi-chan and I are trying to make a dress for Saku-chan for her date with Sasu-chan," Kushina 'harrumph'-ed with sudden excitement.

"...when did Sasu-chan ask Saku-chan out?" Mikoto said in her evil-sweet voice, just letting Kushina know about the fact that she wasn't invited.

"Oh, well...he hasn't asked her out yet," Kushina suddenly went quiet. "Thats what we're trying to do here and Chi-chan knows you come up with cute ideas for Saku-chan's outfits and all! We figured we'd ask you."

"Is Saku-chan still with you?"

"No...she ran away with Hinata to get back to the hospital," Kushina grunted. Obviously Chi and Kushina scared the lights out of her with girly laces and ribbons to put into her hair. "What do you think, Mikoto-chan?"

"About how you are planning to make Saku-chan win Sasu-chan's heart...when he already likes her?" Mikoto asked in a rather serious voice.

"Yeees," Kushina purred.

"Why not? I always wanted to play Cupid like we did back in High School!" Mikoto squealed as she spun in her office chair as she looked at the calender on today's date. "It will be like the good old days, remember, Kushina-chan?"

_Sixteen year-old Mikoto pushed Mebuki out of her bathroom to display to Kushina and Chi, who sat on Mikoto's frilly bed, of Mebuki's surprising outfit; a simple light blue sundress with dark navy blue sash that was tied to a little bow in the back as she wore simple black sandals on her feet. Mikoto curled Mebuki's light bangs to the side to show off her pretty green eyes as the rest was waved evenly passed her shoulders._

_"Oh my, Mebuki-chan! You look so pretty!" Kushina purred as Chi nodded in agreement. "I told you that Mikoto would make your hair match with that dress."_

_"I feel silly wearing this..." Mebuki said through gritted teeth. Her eyebrow twitched hard as she looked down to her painted toes. "I can't believe you guys set me up with the class clown."_

_"You'd like Kizashi," Chi chirped in as she rearranged Mebuki's straps of her dress. "He is a very polite guy and we think he is a good sort for you."_

_"Oh, the one girl who would beat the shit out of the perverted janitor for peeking into the girl's locker room going on a date with a guy who makes bad jokes?" Mebuki growled. "You guys sure know how to find 'perfect matches'..."_

_"Don't deny the destiny until you go out to dinner with him!" Mikoto exclaimed by patting her hand on Mebuki's rear, sending the victim of this mess into a hissy-fit. "He's waiting with Fugaku downstairs, so get your booty moving!"_

_"You are all going to pay for this!" Mebuki cried out as Kushina locked arms with her and escorted her out of the room. Chi was dragged by Mikoto to watch by the staircase of the interaction of their dearest Mebuki with Fugaku's rather hyper-yet-handsome young man as Kushina guided the grimancing teenage girl to the living room._

_"Kizashi-kun, this is Mebuki! She's a dear friend of ours and this will be your date tonight," Kushina said with a bright smile as she lightly pushed the silent one's lower back for encouragment. "Introduce yourself, Kizashi!"_

_Kizashi rubbed the back of his head lightly as he bowed to his given date. "H-hey there..!" his voice cracked at the sight of Mebuki's unmeeting gaze. "Wow...you look great. You remind me of Marilyn Monroe!"_

_"...Charmed," Mebuki said flatly. Mikoto clenched a fist at how stubborn she was being to such a gracious man!_

_"U-uhm... I tried to arrange a reservation at that new restaurant in town, but they disclined it when someone bought over the table," Kizashi flushed deeply, making Fugaku roll his eyes at the secret he was supposed to keep. "So...I got a patio on hold at the garden I work at with Inoichi. You know him, right? Chi's man? I work a lot at the flower houses and stuff so I got the keys..."_

_Mebuki's eyes finally looked up to look at Kizashi's teal-ish eyes to her emerald gems. A change in her expression made it a shock to Fugaku who stood back a few steps to stay out of the way. "You got a patio in the middle of the garden..? For our date?"_

_"Yeah, it was rushed but I have the keys..."_

_"That sounds like...fun!"_

_Mikoto's eyes twinkled at Kizashi's toothy grin as Mebuki offered her arm out to him to escort her out of the door. Yes, she has set up this plan with her two other friends to get these two opposites on a date, but she knew for sure that this one date will lead to another...and another...and many more until Kizashi pops the question, getting married...and have adorab;e babies with sparkling green eyes!_

"So it's a plan then?" Mikoto played with her click-pen in her free hand as the other held the phone to her hear. "What are we going to call this mission, Kushina-chan?"

"Uhm...I got nothing. Chi, do you have an idea?" Mikoto heard Chi's whisper of 'no' as Kushina groaned. "We will let it pop up when the girlies get it more serious. Keep us posted on what happens in the hospital, okay?"

"I promise," Mikoto smiled her glossy lips as Kushina and Chi giggled to themselves with Ino bursting in to yell 'What'd I miss, Mommy?'. "Sakura-chan should be getting back here by now and Sasu-chan is waiting in her room."

"You allow them to be alone in a room where its sound-proof?" Kushina asked outloud, making the two blondes in the background gasp. "Are you even sure thats a good idea with that we're trying to plan, Mikoto-chan?"

"Honey, for so long I figured that Sasu-chan was colorful," Mikoto sighed. "When I figured out that my youngest son was having the hots for my niece, I literally flipped out. I nearly knocked out Fuga-kun!"

"And how did you find out?"

"I listen in on Sasu-chan and Ita-chan's phone conversations," Mikoto hummed with a slight giggle. "When Sasuke was about ten he threatened his Nii-sama for complimenting Sakura's swimsuit... I figure that Sasu-chan is rather _possessive _with our baby girl."

"Oh yes, yes, yes," Kushina purred. "I gotta go, Chi-chan wants to finish the Christmas line tonight and we need to figure out what to do with my hair! Byebye, Mikoto-chan, Chi-chan and I send you kissies!"

Mikoto let out her giggles when she heard the other line end their phone conversation. My my, how Mikoto was going to have fun telling Fugaku while petting Momma Cat in her throne-like chair about how they're going to get more _alone time _within the hypothesised months... She thought about her widdle Sasu-chan back when he was still pooping in diapers and is now part of her mission to get him the girl of his (and hers') dreams!

God, Mikoto can't wait until she gets grandbabies!

Sasuke sneezed out of the blue. Funny. Sasuke doesn't have allergies, nor did he have symptoms of a cold coming to view as he sniffles his perfect nose before going back to reading a magazine of Kyoto's future events that were coming up until New Years. He was looking for the information of the ice-skating park Naruto wanted to take everyone to and then a walking exhibit of a Christmas story filled with clay figures and tons of lights. He also had his eyes glance at the schedule of the Nutcracker play in December...he fingered some dates into his mind in what weekend he would be able to cancel everything to make time to get ready for it.

Sakura's door opened to have Sasuke close the magazine before Sakura entered the room with a loud yawn itching her lips. She raised both of her hands above her head to stretch in her yawn as she saw Sasuke sitting _so freakin' casually _in her room!

"Saaasuke-kun," Sakura breathed in surprise, "I thought you were going to wait in Auntie's office!"

"Did you eat something?" Sasuke asked instead of replying to Sakura's statement.

"Hinata-chan and I ate cheeseburgers and fries," Sakura said as she closed the door gently. She wandered over and hopped to her bed, kicking off her shoes. "So you've been hanging here for hours?"

"No, I haven't," Sasuke said calmly as he set the magazine back in his backpack. "I got here about fifteen minutes ago."

"So you _did _spend time with the guys," Sakura smiled cheekly at him. "And here Ino had me convinced that you were totally anti-social!"

"Hn."

"So typical Uchiha," Sakura hummed. She reached over her bed and pulled out a notebook she used to write her parts of their duet, pulling to the proper page. "By the way, I edited some of the words in my part; would you mind looking them over before you go?" She held the notebook out towards Sasuke's blank face, flapping it carefully to pressure him. "Please?"

Sasuke looked at the neatly written words on the white paper, noticing the red pen that scribbled out some words or lines, chibi faces spitting at the mistakes and underlined remakes of the lyrics. He got up from his chair and made his way over to sit next to Sakura on her bed, leaning back for support as he took the notebook from her hands.

If you haven't guessed already, Sakura was screaming at the top of her lungs in her head; her innerself swooning over how Sasuke's body heat was helping her warm up against the winter's chillyness. She was in a mindful fight as she watched Sasuke tap on his knee with his two fingers to the experimental beat as he read over the sheet a few times while Sakura sat patiently-looking, when really she was biting herself on the arm to her inner as she begged her to scream out to him for cuddle-time. Like hell she was going to be all gaga for her dear friend, a.k.a. her secret crush for so long, in a snap just to amuse him! She had to remind herself constantly of what Ino and Kushina told her while they were comparing colors in the dressing room.

_"Don't go after him, Saku-chan," Kushina poked her nose adoringly. _

_Sakura looked up to Kushina's violet eyes. "I don't go after Sasuke-kun, Auntie... Sasuke-kun hates girls who chase after him."_

_"Yeah, but if it's you chasing him then Sasuke-kun would feel dominating with that," Ino perked in when she pulled Sakura's hair up into a messy bun. "And we don't want that, do we?"_

_"...No?" Sakura pressed nervously. 'Like Sasuke-kun has those feelings for me...'_

_"Exactly!" Kushina purred. "Hinata, darling...pass me the eyeshadow, please? The earthy tones tablet."_

_"H-hai," Hinata dug through the pile of eyeshadow packets until she found four colors that look almost the same. She passed the many colors into Kushina's hands as she looked for a color. "They're right, Sakura-chan... I-if you want Sasuke-kun to really notice you, you should just be your feisty l-little self..!"_

_"If you say so..." Sakura grumbled as Kushina smeared makeup on her fairy-like eyelid. 'Like __**that **__will do anything..!'_

Sasuke looked at the side of his eyeview to see Sakura yawning again. What the heck did she do for the past hours of being out of his sight? Did she had to run a marathon because Ino wanted her to work out, because Sakura looked really out of focus and deep in thought about _something... _

Sasuke figured he'd try again with sending vibes with the 'advice' his friends gave him during the bonding time they did at the local hangout for the High School's student guys hide away from their girlfriends and overbearing mothers; filled with arcade games and table activites, even a poker room where the legal teenagers of the age of eighteen to gamble with their change and other little items to bid against each other. He figured he'd try the Dobe's idea of making the girl's 'heart fly' just by sitting close to her, but now...it seems like Sakura wasn't even thinking of how close Sasuke is trying to get her attention.

_"Really bastard, it's a great way to make the girl blush," Naruto yelled over the speaker of the music as he nudged his best friend on the arm. "I used it when I flirt with Hinata and it always works! It can't fail if I'm able to do it."_

_"Hn..." Sasuke grunted as he took a sip from his soda can, watching as Chouji battled with Shikamaru over pin-pon points. "What makes you think I want to flirt with Sakura, Dobe?"_

_"Every guy has to do it sooner or later," Naruto smacked the shoulder of the ice-cube man. "And it's more beneficial if the guy makes the first move, right guys?" Naruto called over to the two battling with their paddles._

_"Yeah, he's right," Chouji yelped as he missed his pass. "Stick with us, Sasuke and you'll have her weak at the knees before the holidays!"_

If Sakura would be weak at the knees, it would only be for the reason that she fell asleep on Sasuke's shoulder after fifteen minutes he moved from the chair to sit next to her; which wasn't an all bad thing on Sasuke's end, he would rather have Sakura rest up intime for her next MRI and exercise therapy that would be scheduled for the pink haired patient at seven in the morning. He liked it even more of the fact that Sakura's little hand crept up in her slumbering state to cling to Sasuke's sleeve as he reached over to pull her blanket over her legs, mumbling in her sleep of asking a teacher to repeat the formula of how to help make the penguins fly... She has some pretty interesting dreams, thats for sure.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk as Sakura whimpered when he tried to pull his arm back, instead pulling it to press against her covered lap and cuddled his arm like she would do with her pillows or Mikoto and Kushina's army of cats at either houses (yes, Kushina takes in Momma Cat's kittens and they meet with the neighbor cats and...yeah, you get it,) pressing her cheek to smush against Sasuke's firm biceped arm. The Uchiha was bold enough to tilt his chin to lightly press his lips to Sakura's soft pink hair, which smelled like Chi's signature perfume faintly on her pastel strands.

"Sss...stupid professor..." Sakura slurred in her sleep. "Won't save the penguins intime before the ball..."

Sasuke smirked bigger in her hair as he whispered in a quiet voice. "Why not take over, Doctor Haruno..?"

"'Cause Naruto ate all the pudding..." Sakura 'humph'-ed through her nose. "And the unicorns under...I-Ino-chan's bed...haz the hiccups."

"Hn, that is just too bad," Sasuke grunted quietly. He pulled his lips away with a sigh as he heard the doornob of the door clicking of someone opening it. He slipped his eyes to see a plump, older nurse holding Sakura's night medication in the usual paper cup.

"A-ah! Uchiha-kun, I didn't know you were still in here," the nurse gasped lightly when she saw Sakura's sleeping face of a kitten. "Forgive me, but can you please wake up Sakura so she can take her meds before I clock out?"

"Hn," Sasuke mumbled softly as he pulled his arm out of Sakura's weak grip, causing the slumbering girl to stir and make a noise of discomfort. He took the next step of wrapping his arm around her and gently move the fallen pink strands out of her face. "Sakura, you have to take your medication. Wake up now."

"Fooo," Sakura fussed lightly as she rubbed her eyes when Sasuke pushed her to sit up when the nurse came to her side. She opened her tired eyes to smile up to the nurse and take her meds in her usual one shot and one gulp of water before resting her back unconsiously on Sasuke's arm. "Thank you, have a good night..!"

"You too, deary," the nurse smiled sweetly before poking Sakura's chin like a good child and left to stand by the door. "Would you like me to turn off the lights, honey?"

"Yes, please," Sakura mumbled as her lids flutter shut with a soft sigh. She didn't seem to notice that Sasuke was still present in the room, or the fact that she was laying on his warm arm, snuggling closer to her 'pillow'.

The nurse looked over to see Sasuke nod in agreement before shutting off the lights and close the door as quietly as possible, just so she wouldn't disturb the sweet patient she liked to bring to the children's play area all the time. This nurse was another on Sakura's list of good staff members who didn't do annoying things around the water cooler with the other gossipers.

"Sakura," Sasuke whispered after the clock hit eight-thirty at night; about fourty-five minutes since the nurse came in, "you need to let go of my arm..."

"Dun wanna," Sakura pouted in her sleep, clinging a bit tighter to Sasuke's shirt, trying to keep her sleeping buddy. "Can...chu just tell Mommy I dun wanna get up, Papa?"

'Aa, she's dreaming of her parents...' Sasuke's eyes soften to the great extent as he relaxed his muscles. He felt Sakura's legs curl into her half-laying half-sitting position to snuggle herself closer as Sasuke hesitantly pressed his hand on her lower back to guide her.

"Daddy..?" Sakura's face buried in his arm.

"Hn?"

"Is it snowing yet..?" Sakura's lip pouted lightly in question. "I want to play with Sasuke-kun and Naruto outside..."

Sasuke checked the window to see the city's lights reflecting off of tiny snowflakes. "It is snowing, Sakura...but you're ill right now, so you must stay in bed for a little while longer."

"M'kay... Can you stay with me?" Sakura mumbled lightly as she snuggled her head into the crook of Sasuke's neck, her warm breath tickled his skin as she sighed happily when Sasuke moved his arm to hold Sakura's numbing form. "Thanks, Daddy..."

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- This ending went off the way I didn't want it to! ;w; I suppose it could be a cliffhanger? But I love you all too much to expose that horrid form of writing to a drama like this. What do you guys think of it? And be honest, Kitty doesn't mind critics of how bad I do with endings C; I simply just zone out for this chapter and want to start with a bang in the next, you know? Do you think Sakura will freak out if she wakes up to Sasuke holding her? Or do you think Mikoto will walk in and see how her son is totally not gay as she found out when he was ten? How about if Sasuke pushes the boundaries to do something MORE to Sakura while she sleeps? Eh, eh? ;D

No, I will not answer the questions to myself.

SONG USED FOR THIS CHAPTER-

Starships by _Nikki Minaj- _I was shuffling on youtube and my friend requested me to use this song for inspiration... Look how well that turned out? xD I LOVE how I handled Killer Bee using a chipmunk voice and dancing onstage of naughty words (but it's in Japan, so things that are not okay in American is ALWAYS okay in Japan!) For anyone who may wonder, no, Killer Bee didn't lose his job as a teacher uwu We all know Asuma forgave the cool sensei and requested him to be the DJ at his wedding with Kurenai! Mwahaha~!

Bumblebee Tuna by _Kitty doesn't know D:- _An actual tuna song for this product... I heard it only once and it was stuck in my head for a week. I wish I was a child and I would've adored the song a bit better but nooo~ I must not annoy people with tuna songs!

Harder to Breathe by _Maroon5- _It's a good song to scream when you hate someone for eating your lunch at work uwu... Oh yeah, that happens to me ALL THE TIME. And it was my favorite pasta dish, too D: I now bring my lunch in and eat it at...2pm when my lunch break is at 3.30pm ewe;;


	6. Chapter 6

Kitty woke up to her cat on her belly D: Kitty's cat is REALLY heavy and she nearly crushed Kitty's ribs- BUT SHE'S SO FLUFFY! KITTY CAN'T BE MAD AT HER FOREVER. You know fat cats, they may look unhealthy and lazy as hell but they are actually wonderful companions to an artist like myself ;w; I will be up at 2:30am working on my projects for work and I feel so alone as everyone else in my household is sleeping their little dreams; then comes in my baby cat I have raised and rescued from a hoarding house and begins to stay by my side! She doesn't meow to me, because I'm just SO tired nor does she paw at me like she usually does for attention. She plopped herself on my lap and began purring me to sleep... If that is not love, I don't know what love is! D; Thank you my dear baby for helping me get through these very intense projects and art deals that have to be sent all over the country (and even the world at some point) and helping me rest up when I need to!

I would like to also thank the patience you readers have for me; it truly helps a lot when I'm hurrying up to update for you guys! I really do love writing as a hobby with my art skills and I just love to share my Fanfics with all of you! C; You guys take part in every chapter I write by just reading and doing all that you do for me to stay motivated. Thank you guys all so much, I could not ask for anything more! If Kitty had cupcakes, she would totally give them to all of you!

Remember to Review, Follow or Favorite- Let's not forget to do whatever you wish to make yourself happy even if it's just deserting this story~ Kitty hoped you have a nice day anyhow!

*DISCLAIMER- THIS WOMAN WHO WORKS HER BUTT OFF AT HER OWN JOB TO HELP PROMOTE NEEDED SITUATIONS AROUND THE WORLD TO THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS AND NEVER HERSELF DOES NOT OWN ANY OF THE MATERIAL THAT ARE LYRICS. THEY SIMPLY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL COMPANIES AND SUCH THINGS THAT KITTY DOES NOT MAJOR IN AT ANYWAY. IF ANYONE HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT, THEY MAY LEAVE THE ROOM AND ESCORT THEMSELVES OUTSIDE TO YELL AT A TREE -because trees don't talk back- AND ENJOY THE REST OF THEIR DAY! IF PEOPLE **STILL **HAVE A PROBLEM, GO YELL AT ANOTHER TREE! THANK YOU AND KITTY WISHES FOR YOU TO HAVE A NICE DAY! C;*

=xxx=

**Infancy, Summer**

_"Come on, Sasu-chan," Mikoto cooed at her little one year-old son, Sasuke, as she bounced him lightly on her lap of the park bench. "Say 'Momma'! I know you can do it, baby."_

_"Hn..." The baby muttered as he sputtered his lower lip at his mother's pretty face, squirming in her hold as he tried to wobble off with his new talent of walking. The baby of Fugaku and Mikoto was a very smart baby, walking at an early age and grab things by himself, but the little boy would only say one word. This was probably all Fugaku's fault._

_"Momma," Mikoto pressed. "Say it for me, baby boy."_

_"Hn..!" Sasuke whined as his little toothless mouth gaped open as he began to drip out frustrated tears, frailing his little hands around until his mother gave up on the lesson._

_"Fine, don't cry..." Mikoto soothed gently as she pulled out Sasuke's pacifier from the diaper bag and stick it into the crying boy's mouth, who gradually took it and began making those adoring 'nyu nyu nyu' noises with each suck. "I'll let you play, Sasu-chan..." She passed the stuffed dinosaur to the stubborn infant and settled him on his feet, watching him scurry off into the green grass._

_"He'll learn soon enough, Mikoto-chan," Mebuki sighed as she crossed her arms. "Wasn't Itachi like this when he was learning?"_

_"No! He said anything I asked him to say," Mikoto pouted her lips. She watched as Sasuke wobbled up to the where other children were playing, including Mebuki's new baby, Sakura, that Sasuke would have met for the first time since Mebuki has came back with her family to visit Kizashi's sibling in the country. "Has Sakura learned how to walk yet?"_

_"No, she's still standing. She's trying though," Mebuki smiled as her friend before pulling out a magazine. "She's been crying a lot when she can't follow the other children around. She's kinda like me, you know? Hates being left behind?"_

_"She's sooo cute, Mebuki-chan," Mikoto blushed as she spotted Sakura's pink hair shinning against the sun, sitting in her little dress as she watched other toddlers run around her and take off. Her tears were falling and she would take her balled up fists to hide her eyes; Sasuke noticing her and wobbled over there. "Oh, look at that... Sasuke is going to her."_

_"Eh? I thought Sasuke doesn't like other babies."_

_"He doesn't..."_

_Sasuke wobbled with his dinosaur plush in his arms to the little crybaby. His big baby eyes looked down to the top of Sakura's hair. The baby's curiosity was attracted to the others' bright colors, totally bright and pretty looking for him to touch it._

_"Hn!" Sasuke voiced through his pacifier, having the green eyed baby look up with her fresh tears. Her little lip was quivering in misery at the sight of him standing on his own feet and moving. He reached his fingers to touch her hair, scaring the poor baby to cry out at him for the action he clearly didn't ask for._

_Sasuke's cheek twitched in annoyance, making his mother giggle. "I suppose he doesn't like that Sakura screamed at him!" _

_"Haha, how funny," Mebuki agreed and continued to watch what the babies will do next._

_Sasuke stared at her shaking mouth, her toothless gums bit together as she sobbed sadly. He didn't get it of why such a baby was crying; the weather was pretty like her hair and people around her are happy! What else is there for a baby to ask for? Did something hurt or was something bothering her? _

_Well, baby Sasuke didn't like seeing her crying._

_"Hn..." Sasuke growled baby-like and pulled out his pacifier from his baby lips, looking at his favorite sucker and then at the crying infant. He fell to his bottom and leaned towards the girl who shut her eyes to wipe away the tears. He shoved the pacifier between her doll-like lips and leaned back. He watched as her green eyes widened at the sudden action, then the cue for his voice to speak out._

_"Chu."_

_The baby girl didn't understand the others' words, but could feel the warmth that was done by his mouth on the pacifier he gave her forcefully. She began to make her personal sucking noises of 'pyu pyu pyu' as she finally calmed down her tears and let her eyes droop a little with ease._

_"Mikoto-chan...did Sasuke just say 'chu'?" Mebuki blinked in horrid shock._

_"Chu means...kissing, right?" Mikoto asked in a very quiet voice. She shrank into her crouching position, trying to calculate. "I haven't tried to teach him that..!"_

_"Mikoto-chan, maybe he-"_

_"MY BABY BOY DID AN INDIRECT KISS TO A BABY GIRL!"_

_"C-calm down, I think we-"_

_"Mebuki-chan, lets make a list of what to get for our grandchildren now!"_

_"...WHAT?"_

_Baby Sasuke slowly helped himself up to his feet, watching how the pink haired baby began to whine against the pacifier and her little hands reached out to his rising form. The little boy blinked confused at first before he set his dinosaur plush on the soft grass; he picked the girl's hands with his own and used all of his baby strength to haul her to her little booty-feet._

_"Muuu!" Sakura squealed against Sasuke's pacifier, holding tightly with her weak fingers to Sasukes', having him hold her up to steady properly._

_"Hn..." Sasuke blinked lightly before swinging their linked hands around, making a toothless smile at the girl's happiness. He began making happy noises for the girl's 'Muuu' noises as she tried to take wobbling steps, pulling her along lightly as he stumbled back._

_"Mikoto-chan, look at that..." Mebuki blinked as she pointed to the baby's actions. "Sasuke is teaching Saku-chan how to walk!"_

_"Is that even possible?" Mikoto fumed with steams coming out of her ears. Why was her baby boy being stubborn with her, but helping a baby (that he doesn't like to socialize with other babies for that matter) on how to walk! "WHY IS SASU-CHAN BEING SO SWEET TO A BABY?"_

_"Hey..." Mebuki's eyes pierced at Mikoto's body, sending shivers to the Uchiha's spine. "That's my baby you're talking about."_

_"B-but...I want them to be a couple! Don't you, Mebuki-chan?"_

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Six- For What It's Worth

Sasuke woke up in the same place as he was as he closed his eyes: Sakura's hospital bed. The only thing that was missing was the pink haired patient who usually slept there, and her blanket was over him in a comforting way, like he was tucked in very gently. He pulled his head up to look at her clock to read two in the morning. It wasn't time for Sakura to get up on the weekend for her MRI scans, nor would anyone could come in and bother her while she slept to her hearts content. Something was off for sure...

The sound of a wet cough startled him. He snapped his head to look over to the bathroom's light on and a shadow of Sakura's little body bobbing at a low angle. She was throwing up!

"Sakura," Sasuke yawned out of his sleep and threw himself off of the bed, making his way rather quickly and stumbled over to the open door to see Sakura's head hovered over the toilet. "Are you okay..?"

"M-my stomach hurts a little," Sakura breathed out very quietly. Sasuke let himself in to peer into the bowl to see Sakura's stomach acid floating in the water; along with many ribbons of blood and odd colored substances piling ontop of another. "I-I threw...up my medication..."

Sasuke slipped his hand around her skull to feel her broad forehead to be bursting in intense heat. Her forehead felt very warm and was throwing up, leaving to Sasuke to conclude that she had another accident. He groaned out as he let go of Sakura's head to dip back into the toilet to cough out another mouthful of blood, her shoulder jerking up and down as her intestines worked itself to get rid of anything nasty in her system. He quickly left the room to press the emergency button on the side of Sakura's bed, signaling someone at the monitors to warn assistance was needed in the room, turning back to see Sakura leaning against the doorway with a washrag to her mouth.

Sakura's eyes were droopy as she bit hard onto the fabric, feeling so tired and sore in her throat. Sasuke glide over to be at her side as he pressed his hand on her lower back, gently guiding her back to the bed.

"You were sleeping..." Sakura started to say, "I didn't...want to wake you up and I was writing..." her pale hand pointed to the pink book that was on the side of the bed where she was sleeping, on the desk with a pen marking her place on the pages.

"It's fine," Sasuke mumbled as he guided her back to sit on the edge of the bed. "How long were you up?"

"An hour?" Sakura guessed as she sniffed, looking at the button light on. Her eyes widened as she tried to stand up. "Why did you call the nurse? I'm perfectly fine! I'm not sick at all!"

"You threw up, Sakura," Sasuke answered simply as he pressed his hands on her shoulders, trying to keep her down when a nurse and Mikoto walked in, flipping on the lights.

"I'm not sick!" Sakura announced when she eyed Mikoto's pretty face. The nurse went to look at the amount of blood in the toilet. "I'm not sick, I just-!"

"I know you're not, baby," Mikoto smiled as she kissed Sakura's head. "Sasu-chan, go wait outside while I check on Saku-chan, alright?" She waited until Sasuke made his usual 'Hn' noise and left the room, clicking the door shut as Mikoto reached for the hem of Sakura's collar.

"I'm not sick..." Sakura mumbled.

"Why did you have an oopsy, honey?" Mikoto began to unbotton Sakura's shirt to check her heartrate and pulse. "Did Sasu-chan do something? I've noticed he fell asleep."

"No, I was just writing in my book and then...poof," Sakura sprawled her fingers to make imaginary fireworks. "I didn't think or do anything to get my heartrate up or anything."

The nurse came back with the therometer, popping it into Sakura's mouth while Mikoto rebuttoned Sakura's shirt gently; watching as her boss instructed her patient to get back into bed before the tool beeped. She took it out of Sakura's doll mouth, frowning with the results. "She has a fever, Uchiha-sama. Now that I think of it, Sakura was in the wing where children were getting flu shots. Some have already shown symptoms of getting sick..."

"I'm not sick!" Sakura defended stubbornly.

"Well, you may have a slight cold," Mikoto rubbed her chin. "Even the slightest germ in your system seems to upset the infections. It is nothing to worry about, honey!" She pulled the blanket over Sakura's legs. "I say you should rest now and save the writing for the afternoon, okay? I'll send Sasu-chan back in, unless he wants to go home."

Mikoto didn't need to ask her youngest son, since he was already walking in shortly after Mikoto had even mentioned him; which made Sakura's heart skip a little beat, hiding her face that held both anger and embarrassment with her blanket as Mikoto hummed goodnight, pushing the plump nurse out of the room and 'slamming' it closed to make her jump. She shut her eyes tight, trying so hard to ignore the sound of Sasuke's feet moving closer to her bed and...

Sasuke crawled into Sakura's side, settling himself right next to her.

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura gulped silently, "w-what are you doing?"

"Going back to sleep," Sasuke said bluntly, crossing his ankles before closing his eyes. Sakura dared to open her own to see him looking absolutely calm..!

Ino's plan of Sakura being the stubborn one wasn't going like the way her and the other witches that scare Sakura was going. "Why..? Don't you want to go home?"

"No. Go to sleep," Sasuke replied with a yawn.

"B-but isn't it-?"

"Go to sleep, Sakura," Sasuke whispered as he wrapped his strong arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to his warm body heat. His closed face pressed ontop of her head while she just stared with big eyes; her chest was twisting greatly, beside the fact that she was only sick because she had a _cold _but it was more about how Sasuke was just keeping himself close to Sakura's side. But for what purpose exactly?

Maybe... Just maybe, Sasuke actually _likes _Sakura? Could that be it?

"Sasuke-kun, do you..." Sakura swallowed again, burying her face in the blanket to hide her tinted cheeks. "Uhm, I-I mean... Do you..?" She felt Sasuke's head move again, his arm tightening his hold as he buried his face in her pink hair. Her cheeks were hurting from her blushes.

"Just go to sleep, Sakura..." Sasuke's voice was very gentle and soothing to Sakura's little ear as he whispered in a soft voice. His fingers raked into Sakura's pink hair, touching the soft strands of her hair. "We can talk in the morning."

Sasuke's gentle touches and his soothing voice helped coax Sakura into a slumbering mood. Hiding her face in the crook of Sasuke's neck, sighing quietly as her eyes dropped closed; her little hands clung to Sasuke's shirt as she began to fall asleep in his arms. The Uchiha's lips twitched upward into a good smirk, pleased how easily the young woman was obeying his wishes of resting more instead of asking stupid questions.

Well, they're not stupid to Sasuke's eyes, not one bit. Uchiha Sasuke was just not ready to explain things in such big words (how hard is it to say that you like someone, ne?) to this particular person in his arms, just waiting for the right time to actually sit down and put his words together.

Just not yet.

=xxx=

"Sakura-neechan! Pick me up!"

"Nee-chan, what color is a daisy?"

"Saku-neechan, Mimi-chan won't share with her ballerina tutu!"

"No I'm not! It's my turn!"

Sakura couldn't help but giggle like a kid at Christmas as she watched children of all ages swarm in her presence, ignoring that Sasuke was staying in the doorway to stay as far as possible from the other children. She knew Sasuke wasn't the best with children, especially ones who have to stay overnight at the hospital; Sasuke plus grumpy children always equals a big no-no for the Uchiha, but Sakura didn't mind it whenever a child would come up crying to her about a booboo on their elbows or someone hit them, or even threw their animal crackers at them just because! She loved being with kids and teaching them how to share and answer their questions, even if it would give others a big headache.

Sakura picked up a little boy with a cast on his arm and a burn patch on his head, kissing his cheek lightly in 'hello' while the boy got hyper off of his giggles. "How are you doing today, honey?"

"I'm super guud, Nee-chan!" the boy smiled. "Looky, I lost my first tooth!"

Sakura gasped with joy, making the boy's dark eyes sparkle. "Did you get anything from the Tooth Fairy? Did you make sure to brush your teeth like I told you before bed?"

"Uh-huh, and I got a candy bar and a some money for the candy machine!" The boy nibbled on his free fist and smiled again. "I can shoot juice of out my gap! I showed the others' during snacktime today!"

"Oh, well don't make a mess," Sakura warned with a raised brow, still having a smile on her face as the boy nodded.

"I did it over the sink, I promise," the boy giggled while another young child, a little girl of the age of five, tug on Sakura's hospital shirt.

"Sakura-neechan, Mimi won't share her other tutu," the child's lip quivered with tears coating her big blue eyes. "She's being mean to me!"

"Mimi-chan, please come here," Sakura beckoned the other five year-old, who was standing in the distance with a tempered face and her chubby arms crossing her chest. The child was obviously being upset with the others' wish to wear the purple tutu that Mimi was holding while she wore the rainbow one. Mimi stomped over and stood her ground while Sakura smiled at her. "Why won't you share the purple one?"

"Because I'm the Fairy Queen," Mimi announced with a glitter of anger in her eyes. "If she puts on the purple tutu, then she becomes Fairy Queen! I won't have it!"

"But Mimi, you're already the Fairy Queen of Rainbows!" Sakura gaped her mouth with a fake sad look. "Why can't she be the Fairy Queen of Splooshy?"

"Ewwy! Splooshy is groooss!" Mimi fumed as she shoved the tutu into the other girl's hands, running off to pick out a rainbow wand from the toy chest. The girl smiled in thanks and had Sakura help put the purple tutu on (while the casted boy clung to her shoulders) and took off to play with the other girls who were dressing up as princesses and other fairy tale creatures.

Sasuke watched carefully as Sakura picked the boy up once more, answering some children's question of the colors of something before walking back. He saw how the injured boy looked at the Uchiha's blank stare and began to suck on his little thumb.

"Are you Nee-chan's friend?" the boy asked curiously as he pointed to Sasuke's face with his red cast.

"This is my friend, Sasuke," Sakura answered for the boy, knowing that Sasuke wasn't in the mood to talk. "He is Doctor Uchiha's son, honey. Why don't you say hi?"

"Why does his hair look like a duck-butt, Nee-chan?" the boy asked without second thought, causing Sasuke's eyebrow to twitch furiously yet say nothing.

"Hmm..." Sakura tried to answer the question without angering Sasuke anymore then the child already has.

"It is because I ate a duck when I was bald, so the duck grew out of my head..." Sasuke rolled his eyes as if it was an obvious answer. "Only the duck's butt made it out."

"So the ducky is still in your head?" The boy gasped in horrid shock.

"Hai, and he can never come out."

"Nuuu!" the boy scrambled out of Sakura's arms and took off to tell his buddies of the Scary Duck-Butt Man who ate innocent ducks to keep his hair from falling out.

"Sasuke-kun, don't scare the children like that..." Sakura sighed when another child took the time to ask to be picked up. Sakura complied and complimented on the little girl's decorated hospital scrubs of stickers. "They're just kids. They don't mean any of it."

"What, my face doesn't do enough?"

"Your face just attracts the little girls, Sasuke-kun," Sakura giggled as the dress-up posse round up around Sasuke's legs, tugging on his pants to have him follow into their game. She nudged him to move, having the girls tackle him to the floor and sit on him; calling him the Handsome PrinceCharming or the Pretty Pony for them to ride. "Kids like you!"

"I don't want to play," Sasuke growled out low enough to remind Sakura of a angry dog. The little girls didn't bother with his wants and began to pet his hair and pull his cheeks. He kept growling until both gendered kids dog piled ontop of him.

"Oh!" Sakura jumped as she set the little girl down, who wandered off to ask a nurse for a cup of water, hurrying to Sasuke's aid and asked every child to get off of Sakura's friend and pull him up. Some children clung to Sasuke's jeans as she tried to shoo them off. "Sasuke-kun doesn't like to play, sweeties. Leave Sasuke-kun be!"

"Is Sasu-niichan your boyfriend, Saku-neechan?" a boy asked as he pulled on his own scrub pants.

"Huh?" Sakura's face went beat red at the question.

"Yeah, he acts like he's your PrinceCharming and not ours!" a princess girl stammered sadly as she crossed her arms.

Sasuke stood up straight, doing his best not to blow fire out of his nose as his eyebrow twitched harder. He grimanced internally as he backed himself back to the door, leaning back to rake a hand through his black hair. He exhaled as he watched Sakura's hands flap around to try to explain to the children that asking personal questions like that is like asking how babies were made to their parents, which worked easily and the children broke out of their crowd to get back to their own activities. Geez, Sasuke wondered how Sakura was able to handle so many annoying brats at once, especially when he would see nurses try to beg Mikoto to switch their position to help the elderly instead; he always knew Sakura was good at persuading children, and even calm them down from the toughest temper-tantrums in the matter of minutes -seconds even!- and have them wrapped around her finger, ready to obey their Nii-chan at her every wish. It really did make Sasuke and his friends see that Sakura would make an excellent mother someday...

"I'm going to go!" Sakura said to all of the children, letting them whine and cling to her as she kissed each of their heads gently before standing up. "You guys behave for the nurses and I'll see you all intime for movie and bedtime stories."

"Yay!" they all cheered and waved to Sakura in goodbye, every child had a smile planted on their faces as she spun around to face Sasuke: her cheeks tinted deep red and right eye twitching in embarrassment.

Sasuke held the door open like a true gentlemen as Sakura leapt out to leave all the children to the nurses attention as she walked by Sasuke's side and not saying a single thing in the process, not even meeting his gaze when he would glance over.

"You doing okay?" Sasuke asked. "Your heart isn't going overboard, is it?"

"Uh-uh," Sakura shook her head as she spoke through her lips, her cheeks tinting deeper when Sasuke's hand grabbed her shoulder and stopped her from walking. She dared to look at his cool features, looking absolutely stupid compared to Sasuke's calm and natural expressions. Damn, how can Uchihas' do that?

"Whats bothering you, Sakura?" Sasuke demanded in a gentle tone, sliding his fingers to her arm to let her know that he wasn't scolding her if anything did have to do with her heart.

Sakura blinked a few times before slowly parting her lips. "U-uhm...the other night, when you tucked me in bed..." Sakura started playing with her index fingers like Hinata, locking her pinky fingers together as she let her eyes wander around the pale hallway, noticing how the lights flickered a little from a dying bulb. "Y-you did something that was...odd, you know? Uhm, you did this, like, a kiss to my head and I don't get..."

_Uh-huh... _Sasuke's thoughts were secretly trying to get her to continue, excited on the inside that Sakura was actually trying to supress that Sasuke kissed her head goodnight a few nights prior. _Just say it and ask, Sakura..._

"I really don't get what you intended to do with that, but..." Sakura swallowed, trying to get all her courage together. Jesus! Haruno Sakura has never been this shy before for _anything! _"I-I wanted to...ask why-"

_"Haruno Sakura! Help is on the waaay!" _An annoying high-pitched voice stung her ears as she turned her head to see Ino pushing Hinata in a wheelchair with all of her strength and speed. She pressed her heels onto the tiled flooring to stop herself and the moving chair as Hinata flung out of the seat, crying out as Sakura caught her from falling on her face.

Sasuke began cursing in his head at the blonde woman, who straightened up and smiled cat-like. '_When you're hubby is sleeping in class this week, I'm going to chop his nuts off and then you won't have any children to inherit your annoying voice... Halt to the Nara and Yamanaka familylines... Uchihas will rule all, you stupid hillbillies.'_

"Auntie Mikoto said you got a cold, Saku-chan," Ino sighed sadly. "Hinata and I are here to nurse you back to health so you can make it out of this stinky place intime for more girl stuff, you know!" Ino purred as she shimmied the wheelchair in her grip. "And I even found this thingy to wheel you back to your room!"

"Ino-chan... I have my own wheelchair in my closet. Where in the hell did you get that?" Sakura twitched.

"I found it...by the restrooms."

"GO PUT IT BACK!" Sakura commanded in a shriek, scaring the blonde to scooter herself down the hall with the chair, leaving Hinata to hug Sakura's arm for comfort. "I suppose she cornered you into it, Hinata-chan?"

"H-hai...it was scary like a roller coaster," Hinata blinked tightly as she nibbled on the edge of her sweater, Shippuden's first performance on it with Naruto's face sketched into it, and tugged on Sakura's hand with her own. "Can w-we go back to your room, please? I don't know this h-hallway very well without N-Naruto-kun here..."

"Sure, no problem," Sakura smiled to her shy friend, gripping her hand tightly as she started walking down towards the path to her room. "When did you guys get here?"

"Two hours ago...Ino wanted to play with the wheelchair before we went looking for you guys," Hinata glanced at Sasuke, nodding in hello as he did the same. "Did we interupt something..?"

"No..." Sakura blinked a little, looking at Sasuke to see his eyes set ahead of them, not looking her way. _Maybe...I was wrong after all, _Sakura thought quietly. "Nah, it wasn't anything important. Are the boys here at all?"

"N-Naruto-kun went shopping with his mother for Christmas..." Hinata smiled lightly. "H-he says he will find something for you, too. I have to get started on my Christmas list as well, you're at the top next to Hanabi and Ino. I already got Hanabi's gift ready and wrapped."

"Ooh, you and I should go to the mall sometime soon, okay?" Sakura's eyes glowed. "It can be just us; all safe and blonde free from Yamanaka Ino's brutal abuse on you."

"T-that would be nice..." Hinata agreed as she opened Sakura's door, looking at the children's gifts to her to help decorate the brown wood as she entered to see Mikoto inside Sakura's room packing. "O-oh!"

Mikoto looked up from the duffle bag to smile at Hinata before putting one of Sakura's folded jeans inside. Sakura came in to change her whole face expression to see her auntie packing her stuff into the usual bag...

"Auntie, what are you doing?" Sakura stuttered as she hurried over to Mikoto and pull her jeans out of her hand, trying to put her pants back as Mikoto laughed whole-heartedly.

"We're packing your clothes, honey. What does it look like we're doing?" Mikoto picked the pants out of Sakura's hands and stuffed them into her bag. "I'm going to bring you home so I can monitor you overnight."

"B-but, it's a school night!" Hinata blinked as Mikoto asked Hinata to grab a pair of pants from Sakura's closet (because no one could say no to Hinata!).

"Saku-chan won't be going to school for November," Mikoto stated properly as she began folding Sakura's sweaters. "She can still get schoolwork from the fax machine in Fugaku's office. It's not a big deal."

"I'm coming over to your home three weeks early?" Sakura sighed as her auntie pulled more and more close from her drawers. She looked over to Sasuke standing in the doorway, not offering to help nor showing any emotion about this whole situation. "Sasuke-kun, tell your mother that this isn't needed, please!"

"Mother will beat me if I say anything."

"Calling me an abusive mother, Sasu-chan?" Mikoto laughed sweetly as she slammed the case shut, causing all the spines in the room shiver in fear. "It's not a big deal, honey. Besides, I think you deserve to get out of the hospital sooner this time and enjoy the outside life; you need to get out more often, honey."

Sakura's face tinted red at Mikoto's accusation of being an anti-social like Sasuke. "I do get out...and won't the kids miss me?"

"They have me," Mikoto purred as she zipped the suitcase shut. She placed it on its wheels and pulled the handle up. "Sasu-chan, go put this in my car."

"Hn." Sasuke took the handle from his mother and wheeled the big suitcase out as Sakura gaped at her empty closet, unable to fight with the nurses and doctors to stay one more night with no fresh clothes to wear; she knew that her bathroom was cleaned out with her toothbrush and other things that she uses to freshen up. Sasuke closed the door to leave the girls to finish with whatever they needed to do with the patient who never has a say in anything.

"I-Is this part of the plan, M-Mikoto-sama?" Hinata blinked. "K-Kushina-chan and Ino's mother called you, yes?"

"What?" Sakura stressed as she turned to face her auntie. "You're in this godforsaken mess, too?"

"It's not godforsaken, Saku-chan," Mikoto smiled warmly. "I've been wishing to plan this for years! Now I'm finally taking part in it with my little posse like the good old days!"

"Hinata-chan, why are you doing this to me?" Sakura whined as she gripped the shy girl's sweater sleeve, tugging sadly as she was being thrown into her personal hell once more. "You're usually the one to say 'this is a bad idea, guys!' What the hell happened?"

"I w-want...you and Sasuke-kun to be together, too," Hinata blushed deep and looked at her shoes in shame. "I think you two should at least try. I want you to be happy like I am with N-Naruto-kun..."

"Hinataaa!" Sakura cried as she snuggled the innocent baby of her group. She kissed her cheek and snuggled her until Hinata started giggling girlishly and return the hugs. "Stop being such a sweetie or I'm gonna have to kill you and Ino!"

"This is part of the plan, honey," Mikoto stepped in taking Sakura's shoulders and look her in the eye with a glint of sparkles. "You will be spending time with Sasu-chan at our house and I'm going to try and pressure him into growing some balls to ask you out!" Mikoto purred as she planned out her whole mission in her head, needing to write it on a sticky note whens he gets into her office.

"But...what if this shouldn't happen?" Sakura bit her finger. "I tried to talk to Sasuke-kun about...kissing my head the other night, and it seems like it was nothing to him."

"Uchiha men are fucking stubborn!" Mikoto growled in her feminine voice, making Sakura stiffen. "Leave it to the one who had to go through seven hours in labor with that little booger, Saku-chan. I'll take care of the tough stuff, you just need to stay there and look pretty as always!"

Sakura closed her eyes in defeat, trying to come up with something to have Mikoto change her mind about this- about _everything! _Couldn't people see that maybe Sasuke didn't want to be in a relationship, either did Sakura(no matter how many times she would lie to herself about it)? Especially since Sasuke pretty much dealt with Sakura being the _sick and very ungirly _kind of girl, what would he see in her that would make him want Sakura as a _girlfriend? _People nowadays, what can I say? She reopened her eyes to Sasuke returning to the room and Mikoto went on to asking Sasuke to do these little things so he could leave the room again so the girls could give Sakura the details of what to do.

This was seriously going to be a interesting stay at the Uchiha house.

The door swung open once more to have Ino dance her way in with her IPod buds ringing music out of her ears as she screamed at how Mikoto missed the secretly stashed clothes in Sakura's panty drawers; where Sakura hid away the really good clothes Ino had picked out for her, the ones that showed skin and made Sakura's curves fit perfectly... Sakura's least favorite.

This was _seriously _going to be a interesting stay at the Uchiha house!

=xxx=

Sakura couldn't help but scream in pure bliss as she entered the Uchiha house to be mauled by a swarm of cats. Cats of Momma Cat's offsprings, led by Ichigo himself to give his master a great welcome home hug; rounding all his brother and sisters together around the milk bowl to get Sakura the furriest hug she will get in her lifetime! The nods of his siblings approved his mewling plan as they walked past Fugaku, who was having his evening tea, to see lines of kittens and cats being led by Ichigo in the front to the front enterance. Now, Uchiha Fugaku was a realist man, he couldn't really believe that cats would do such a professional thing unless his son put something on his teabags in the first place.

"Eeeeh!" Sakura gushed as she wrapped her arms around the numerous cats and kittens purring and meowing to her, begging her to pet their heads and rub their bellies as they enchanted her to their cuteness. "I have missed you all sooo much! Wheres' Ichigo-chan, ne?"

"Nya!" Ichigo leapt up into Sakura's waiting arms and began grooming her nose with his little pink tongue, giving kisses as Mikoto 'aww'-ed at the sight of her precious companions giving Sakura such sweet hospitality.

Sakura couldn't help but grab Ichigo's little body and kiss his kitty-cheeks and hug him. The siblings of Ichigo watched in pure awe before suddenly going into a fit of hisses and yowls when Sasuke entered through the door with Sakura's bags, glaring at all of the felines crowding around his crush and sent them sprinting back past the kitchen; where Fugaku seriously considered that his tea was drugged. Only Ichigo stayed in place in Sakura's soft arms as she got up from her knees.

"I missed my baby boy," Sakura cooed as she kissed Ichigo's throat lovingly. Looking at Sasuke with a glitter of adoration for the animal Sasuke considered a spawn of the Devil. "How could Ichigo be so mean to you, Sasuke-kun? Look, he's giving me kisses! He's a sweetheart."

"Evil turd," Sasuke corrected as he watched Ichigo press his strawberry nose on Sakura's chin; purring like a motorboat as his paws clung to Sasuke's sweatshirt that his master was wearing once more on the journey from the hospital to home. He placed Sakura's main suitcase down as Sakur offered to take it off his hands. "No, I got it. You just head up and I'll bring your bags in your room."

"You sure? Auntie packed about three bags and they're all heavy..." Sakura scratched Ichigo's velvety ears as he mewed at her. "I can at least take the big suitcase!"

"Hn." Sasuke put of his stubborn stare that made Sakura twitched.

"Fine! Jesus, you're just as stubborn as Ino-chan when it comes to her birthday cake!" Sakura huffed as she went to the stairwell and stomped up each step with Ichigo snuggling her. "Can pick simple flavors of cake -wouldn't chocolate or vanilla be just fine?- No! It has to be french vanilla with the savoring taste of lemon, too." Sakura imitated Ino's high pitched voice as she went to her hallway that led to her bedroom at the Uchiha household.

Sasuke sighed lightly as he was about to step foot out of the doorway, suddenly getting hauled by Mikoto's monster strength and slammed the door shut. He was about to fall back if he didn't grab onto the coat rack as he whispered cusses of possibly spraining his ankle.

"Sasu-chan, when you go drop off the bag in Saku-chan's room, why don't you compliment her?" Mikoto hummed as she picked up Momma Cat (who waited at Mikoto's ankles like a true animal minion). "Tell her that she's pretty- Oh, wait! Tell her that she should be a supermodel!"

"Mother," Sasuke hissed out as he stood up, "what in the hell are you saying?"

"I'm saying to rip off the skirt and go get your girl!" Mikoto stroked Momma Cat's soft head as she had her evil face on, looking at her youngest son with a sparkle in her eye as Fugaku entered the room with his coffee at hand. "Fugaku-kun, tell him that he needs to start being a man like you were back in High School."

"Oh god, you're not bringing me into this," her husband sighed, wrapping his free arm around her skinny waist. "That was a long time ago and times have changed."

"Thank you, Father," Sasuke smirked in victory of the man of the household agreeing with him.

"But you should start getting available for Sakura's attention," Fugaku muttered under his mug. "She is a catch for other boys besides you, and I don't want you to bitch about it to me."

Sasuke was totally getting cornered now, even though Fugaku didn't do it like the women of this crazy family, his eyes were his weakest point in telling all the hope he has that Sasuke would just do it now. For years and _years _people from left and right have begged Sasuke to stand up and just ask Sakura out, but for what? To get rejected because Sakura would think Sasuke _pitied _the poor woman who spends her time at a hospital? No, Sasuke wanted Sakura to know how exactly Sasuke feels about Haruno Sakura...the only issue with that is Sasuke isn't the best with words.

Thats why the song- Yes, the song Sasuke and Sakura are working on together was to get Sakura's full attention to the meaning, every word he wrote on that scrap piece of paper was from when he woke up one night; just trying so hard to stay still so Ichigo wouldn't claw his eyes out. With that, Sasuke stayed up until he had to leave for school writing on many sheets of paper, ripping or crinkling them up to throw them away, breaking a few pencils when he couldn't think of any words to put next, all in just writing a song he dreamt of singing with Sakura. Sakura was the only person Sasuke knew who could understand any hidden messages in any song, shocking people who would think completely different. Sakura can't see what the message was straight away, sing it wasn't sung by anyone (yet), but when they get onstage...

Sasuke pulled in all three bags that contained Sakura's belongings into Sakura's room of the Uchiha household: purple walls with peach prints of giant lily-like pictures on each wall and photographs of nature scenery of winter and spring. Sakura's bed was a large bed, not as big as Sasukes' or his parents, with matching bedding and curtains to give a mature yet childish hint with it; matching Sakura's personality perfectly in every way possible. There was a dark desk in one corner and a changing rack with cherry blossom designs on the papery material, along with a giant set of doors that led to her walk-in closet. Sasuke was the one who helped his mother out picking out stuff for Sakura's room, along with the other women in his lives trying to get girly things- which Sakura was not.

Well, at least not like Ino...

"Catch Ichigo-chaaan!" Sakura giggled as she yanked a ribbon into the air, having the black kitten jump after it with his socked paws. Ichigo clapped his pads together in the ribbon's hold and tackled it to the ground, using his hind legs to keep Sakura from stealing it again. She looked up with a bright smile on her face to see Sasuke struggling to keep the bags from falling, laughing teasingly as she got up. "Let me help you out with that, Sasuke-kun!"

"I'm fi-"

"Shuddap and accept my help, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said in her warning tone. She used both hands to pull the big suitcase to the middle of the room, having Ichigo scurry off from the alien item, and settled herself on her knees. "Thank you for bringing them up!"

"Hn..." Sasuke watched as Sakura began unzipping the carrier to pull out her sweaters and jeans. He stood there in the doorway just watching her place her clothing in sorts of each purposes on where they're worn. It took about a long minute to notice that Sakura was looking back at him with a questionable expression.

"Do you need something, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura pat her pile of clothes as Ichigo dare to touch his paw ontop of her palm to play around.

"Mn..." Sasuke's eye twitched as he looked down to the patterns of Sakura's rug. His lip puckered oddly as he clenched to his sweater, trying to say _something! _

"Sasuke-kun, are you feeling okay?" Sakura rose from her sitting position, causing Sasuke to an internal panic. "Did you catch someth-?"

"You look pretty." Sasuke didn't stay long enough to disappear behind Sakura's door, leaving her to stare at the sudden emptiness that witheld in her room. She heard him take off down to the other hallway and slam his bedroom door shut.

_'What just...happened?' _Sakura's eyebrows furrowed harshly as she tried to figure out what was going on with Uchiha Sasuke, her polite friend who brought all her heavy bags up without complaint. Did he just call her _pretty? _Sakura took a glance to the mirror seeing that she didn't have a spec of makeup to cover her paleness and tired eyes, her pink hair was disleveled and unbrushed from early this morning in making time to dress before Sasuke needed the bathroom. Even her chosed clothing was not matching; wearing Sasuke's navy blue sweatshirt with the uchiwa print on it and neon green sweatpants...

_'P-pretty?' _Sakura looked discusted of herself. _'Sasuke-kun...must've smoked something before he got into the car!' _

Ichigo watched as his master went back to lifting her clothes from the floor and place them into the walk-in closet's shelf, minding how her face expression changed constantly as she was obviously thinking about the one enemy Ichigo held in his existence: Uchiha Sasuke. Oh yes, the little cat knew _everything _about both ends of the situations; to Sasuke's constant rants on how the Dobe was capable of getting a girlfriend and going into the 'man's world' while Sasuke didn't, to his sweet masters whispers in her sleep on how she wished she was confident enough to do _something! _ Poor little kitten was in the middle of it all, unable to tell them both that they were stupid and should at least try it out slow.

Humans were definitely complicated.

"Nya, nya!" Ichigo mewled as he followed Sakura into the walk-in closet, rubbing the side of his body against her legs when she arranged them.

"Hi sweetie," Sakura was snapped out of her mind battle to knelt down and snuggle Ichigo's face and pick him up. She looked around her nearly empty closet and sighed slilently; minding that she didn't have tons of dresses and pretty stuff to wear on special occasions (when she had them, of course) and performances.

Wait, Sasuke's performance was suppose to be coming up soon, wasn't it?

"Shit!" Sakura dove back into her room, with Ichigo still in her arms as she pulled out her cellphone, dialing as fast as she could before putting it to her little ear.

"Hello?" A tired male voice was heard.

"Naruto, have you chosen a date for your performance yet?" Sakura asked as calm as she could while chewing on her bottom lip nervously, holding Ichigo's scruff in harsh pets. "For school?"

"Aah..." Naruto was woken up at a really bad time!" "Uhm, yeah. Yeah, it's on the first Saturday of December. Why?"

"Because I wanted to know, is that a problem?" Sakura bit out. She didn't want Naruto to know about the plan, no sir! "Sorry that I woke you up. I'll let you go, okay?"

"Uhm...Okie dokie," Naruto sniffed. "G'night, Sakura-chan..!"

"Goodnight, and tell Hinata I said hello," Sakura smiled warmly as she hung up her cellphone.

Naruto stared blankly at his bedroom wall, slowly pressing 'End' before tossing his cellphone away and laid back down on his bed, wrapping his arm around Hinata's shoulders and snuggled his face into her sweet hair. Hinata's head moved to look at him sighing.

"Is everything okay?" Hinata whispered as she pulled Naruto's blanket over his shoulders and kissed his cheek. "S-she's not sick, is she?"

"Naaah," Naruto yawned. "She wanted to know when our next concert is, that's all."

"O-oh dear..." Hinata suddenly sat up, rubbing her eyes to force herself awake. "T-this is really bad!"

"What?" Naruto suddenly panicked for his girlfriend's suddenly jumpy attitude. He rubbed her clothed back as she started looking at the windows, as if someone was going to jump in and attack her. "Whats' wrong, Hinata-chan?"

"Ino-chan and your m-mother are going to eat me!" Hinata started tearing up. "I was sup-suppose to get Sakura-chan's opinion of dress designs today, but I-I forgot!"

"Hey, hey! Ma won't eat you, Hinata! Don't cry now, it's bedtime!" Naruto was now scared of Hinata's sad face, knowing how hard it was to get Hinata to stop crying when she started. "We can take care of it together tomorrow, okay? Come snuggle Papa Bear, he needs to cuddle!"

"I can't sleep now knowing that Kushina-chan could tackle me and _tickle me to death!" _Hinata could recall all of the threats of the girls' punishment for making any mistakes of their mission that they finally named Operation: SasuSakuness. Hyuuga Hinata was a good girl, but she can not handle being tickled by force, and the Yamanaka and Uzumaki family were _pros _at tickling for torture.

"Aah, Hinata-chan do I have to get you a teddy bear..?" Naruto asked like a very concerned boyfriend, yet we all know he was stressing on the inside. He found Hinata nodding sadly as her pretty lips were quivering as he pulled out a fluffy orange teddy bear that he keeps hidden in his bed, passing it to Hinata as she clung to it for dear life and kiss her cheek. "Don't be upset now, okay? I'll make sure Ma and Ino won't touch a single strand of your pretty hair, Dattebayo!"

"B-But they will get y-you, too!" Hinata whimpered as she buried her face into the teddy's head.

"I'm willing to lay my life down to save yours!" Naruto saluted as he tackled Hinata down and cuddled her. "No one will defeat Uzumaki Naruto, even his own mother!"

Oh, how Uzumaki Naruto was defeated by his own mother that morning.

=xxx=

_Sasuke sat on the bench on the gym as he watched all of his classmates and higher grades dance together to the sound of the giant CD player that the teacher provided for this special time for the Junior High Schoolers and the High Schoolers come together to bond together just for one day to learn how to ballroom dance. Why? Because this teacher embraced ballroom dancing, thats why! The thick-browed, green jumpsuit teacher was somehow classy and enjoyed slow paced music as he blended both of his classes together. Sasuke was being stubborn as usual and waited until he could spot out his older brother dancing with three girls at once._

_He found Itachi in the near back of the giant group of people...dancing with nonother then Haruno Sakura, totally shorter then Itachi's giant height as he only took her fingers into his palms and spun her around, sending her into a fit of giggles that echoed around the whole building. They weren't following rules of Gai-Sensei's close-bodies-to-embrace-youth! idea and just fooled around in twirls and jumps. Sasuke really didn't enjoy how Itachi was making her smile and laugh...bad enough that he got up and started to make his way over to them._

_Itachi was twirling Sakura around, her school uniform's skirt flowering out gracefully as he noticed Sasuke's cool face getting closer, ingoring every girl who ditched their boys to try and dance with him. The elder sibling smirked as he halt the twirling to bow his head to whisper into her little ear._

_"Sakura-chan, I think Sasuke would like to dance," Itachi purred into her ear, making her blush with his easy smooth voice. "Would you please go and help him out? I have many other girls waiting for their turn."_

_"U-uhm..?" Sakura blinked as she looked at Itachi's warm smile. "I should?"_

_"Hai," Itachi smiled before letting go of Sakura's hands and bowed. "Thank you for being my first dance, Lady Haruno."_

_Sakura giggled lightly before bowing back in respect. "Arigato, Itachi-niisama!"_

_"Goodluck, dear," Itachi winked and blew a kiss before disappearing into the crowd as Uchiha Sasuke made himself visible to Sakura._

_Sakura brushed her long pink strands behind her ear as she smiled at him. "You want to dance with me, Sasuke-kun?" She couldn't help her blush from emerging to her cheeks as she stuck out her little hand to him._

_Sasuke didn't say anything as he took her hand in his and forcefully pulled her into a tight hold of her waist, holding her other hand tightly in his as he lead the steps to the newly played song. He didn't look at her blushing face as he tried to eye out his stupid Onii-sama dancing with a group of girls while his friends boo-ed at him. 'What a freakin' womanizer...'_

_Sakura's chest was twisting in tons of directions, her throat becoming dry as she swallowed nothing and rest her head on Sasuke's shoulder; closing her eyes as the twists only continued to make her heart burn. This felt like a fairytale to Sakura's senses, dancing with Prince Charming and she was the little No One that he bothered to step in and take a dance. She really didn't know that Sasuke was feeling the same way (if he stopped glaring at his brother for five freakin' minutes)! This was her first time being back in school after three months of treatment after her accident...and she feels like all her troubles were over. Only Sasuke treating her like this made her feel like there was nothing wrong with her whatsoever._

_Sasuke finally calmed his angered nerves towards his brother and finally took in the notice of Sakura's gentle head resting on his shoulder. He felt like he should apologise to the poor girl, who only was playing with Itachi -since she sought Itachi out as an older brother figure in her life, even close to a father- and was giving her true attentions to him. He felt like it was the perfect excuse to give her a gentle kiss onto her head..._

_'Now or never...' Sasuke breathed in silently as he turned his head, tilting his chin properly to angle his mouth to her skin and not hit her with his hard chin. This was it, Uchiha Sasuke was going to make the first move and-_

_"Sakura, your nose is bleeding!" Sasuke grit out through his teeth as he forced her head up. His hands were holding her face to try and find her gaze, which was now hazy and tired-looking. "Look at me, Sakura. Don't pass out now!"_

_Sakura made a noise as she tried to keep her eyes open. See, this is why Sasuke couldn't tell her anything about his true feelings for her, no matter how cold he always seems and tough on her whenever she got sick, he felt like a relationship like this would drive her to bleed on the inside._

_And it would be all his damn fault!_

Sasuke fixed the tie of his High School uniform, memorising the last piece of the big test that was suppose to be done in Honors Literature, noting about the fluent line of Shakespeare's quote once more before shooing a cat off of his bookbag and leave his bedroom. He figured Sakura was taking advantage to sleeping in and would not feel the need to check on her; since he already caught a glimpse of the young woman sleeping in her bed with Ichigo in her arms...as well as Ichigo's siblings joining in to cuddle the sweet-natured girl all around her body, keeping her warm and snugged for a good night's sleep. He certainly would not want to ruin that on Sakura's first night in a home.

He started decending down the great stairs when he heard the kitchen radio on, playing a pop single as he heard an all too familiar voice echoing the lyrics in a beautiful soprano voice; dropping alto to the serious words in the lyrics.

_"Take a bullet straight through my brain_

_I would die for you, baby..._

_But you won't do the same!"_

So Sakura was awake. Thats very interesting to Sasuke's curiousity indeed. He reached the flooring and entered to the giant kitchen to find Sakura already dressed in a dark sweater that would expose her navel, wearing a grey tanktop underneath and jeans; scooting around in her slippers -pink bunnies, a gift from Ino- and was wearing Mikoto's cooking apron as she cleaned out a pan with scrambled eggs with cooked ham chunks inside.

_"Ooh, if my body was onfire_

_You'd watch it burn down in flames!_

_You said you loved me_

_But you're a liar-_

_'Cause you never ever did, baby!"_

Mikoto was looking at a celeb magazine when she smiled at her youngest son, humming along with the song as Sakura turned around with Mikoto's plate ready for her to eat. Sakura jumped as she saw Sasuke standing totally average at the singing girl.

"Sasuke-kun, goodmorning!" Sakura smiled as she gave Mikoto her plate, who began digging in right away. "I have your plate ready for you; you have another fifteen minutes before you have to go, right?"

"Aa," Sasuke yawned. "But I'm not-"

Sakura already was holding Sasuke's plate, filled with scrambled eggs and only little ham, the rest was sprinkled with tons of _tomatos. _She had the most innocent look on her face as she was about to dump the plate out, suddenly taken from her hands by the youngest Uchiha in the house.

"But you said you're not hungry," Sakura blinked before wiping her hands on the apron.

"I didn't say that," Sasuke muttered as he sat down at the kitchen table across from his mother. He started eating Sakura's cooking like there was no tomorrow. Now, before you say anything, Sakura was a good cook. She really is; making sweets and meals like Minato does on the Holidays, she just can't make _healthy foods! _Healthy foods are the only things the girl inherited from both of her parents, since they were horrible cooks at healthy foods as well, they were all lucky to have high metabolisms in the end. Sakura knew everyone's food favorite, Mikotos' was strictly to something sweet with her meals so Sakura made blueberry pancakes, and Sasukes' was all about tomatos.

"Alrighty then," Sakura smiled brightly before turning back to the stove to finish the last of the pancakes. She whistled with the next tune that was starting to play on the radio, amusing the cats that started to enter the kitchen to get their morning feeding; Mikoto smiling sweetly as she started to pet Momma Cat with her painted foot.

Mikoto eyed over to Sasuke, who was still chowing down Sakura's cooking, and couldn't help but giggle silently at how perfect the scene was playing out! Sasuke was eating the cooking like how Fugaku used to before they had children; Sakura standing by the stove and having a sweet smile on her face as she could continue her cooking with the radio playing with her pretty voice outdoing the singer's voice on the radio. God, couldn't either of them see that they already look like a couple already?

"I have to get going now," Sasuke announced quietly as Mikoto watched him stand up with his empty plate, placing it in the sink and was about to head out the door before Sakura tapped his shoulder.

"I made you lunch!" Sakura smiled again as she used her other hand to hold out a bento box; the color blue and wrapped with a cloth for him, ready for his busy day as a Honors student and an important member of a band. "I haven't made your favorite in a long while, so it may not be as good. I hope the tomatos I picked out from the fridge will make up for that."

Sasuke's cheekbones moved slightly, Mikoto watched as her youngest son controlled his blush by biting the edge of his lip before nodding and taking the bento. "Thanks. See you later."

Sakura nodded and wished him a good day before going back to piling the pancakes onto a plate. The sound of Sasuke's feet getting into his dress shoes and leave the house before she started her evil snickers behind the pink haired girl's back.

"What?" Sakura asked softly as she set a little bowl of milk down for the kittens to swarm for. She looked up to see Mikoto patting her own cheek with a dreamy look. "What did I do now?"

"Nothing," Mikoto sighed with content as Momma Cat scurried towards the bowl to get her babies in order to share. "I just think children nowadays are blind when they have a Future Moment."

"A what moment?" Sakura blinked.

"It's a term we old folks use," Mikoto purred. "When a couple do something completely normal to themselves, but it tells the future of their relationship!"

"And...what exactly did you see, Auntie?" Sakura asked. "All I did was stand here and make your pancakes!" Sakura set the tall stack of blueberry pancakes and set the bottle of syrup by Mikoto's fork.

Her eyes glittered in her black gems as she stalked the pretty breakfast people would try and have a marathon to burn off the calories; but Uchiha Mikoto didn't care about her weight when it came to breakfast time made by Mebuki's offspring. "I just saw something very special, that's all, honey!"

"You are so stubborn..."

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- Woot woot! Uhm...yeah xD So Sakura is now staying at the Uchiha household, ne! I wonder how that is suppose to work out for the two protagonists who wont say a damn word to each other and just make out already... Huuu, I guess we will just have to see now, won't we? What do you think? xD -gets slammed with a chair at the back of the head-

SONG USED FOR THIS CHAPTER-

Grenade by _Remix of Ariana Grande- _I seriously love her voice *-* She is also sooo pretty! She has a YouTube channel and I love hearing her updates of covers she does with other songs. Y U NU HAZ UR OWN CD, ARIANA?! -derpface- I don't mind Bruno Mars' cover of it, but I do wish Ariana and Bruno did a duet together or something; then maybe I will actually listen to the pop station a little bit more xD

Kitty hopes you all have a good day and smile! Smiles pass on to others and they will somehow end up to me ewe... I'mma catch your smile!


	7. Chapter 7

WOOTY WOOT WOOT! KITTY HAS BEEN WATCHING TITANIC ALONE ON THE WEEKEND AND ACTUALLY DIDN'T CRY WHEN JACK DIED! ;D You know why? BECAUSE HE WASHES UP ONSHORE IN INCEPTION (not the same characters, but that can kiss meh butt!) Goodness pwp I'm coming somewhat far on this fanfiction and my other one of Wilting Roses; don't you think that I should take a break? o-o

HECK NU!

I won't be taking a break anytime soon, you know why? Because Kitty actually has another SasuSaku AU story she would like to upload -happy chibi- But, unfortunately, I will not be able to upload it at this moment since it is still under the process of being made -derpface- Apologise to all who just got excited for it but yeah QwQ Hopefully you all will be the cupcakes I know you to be and wait..? -sees one reader with pitchfork- PUT THAT DOWN!

For ones who may wonder why I always do these flashbacks that would make no sense for the chapter, the reason is because I would like to show all the times Sasuke COULD HAVE told Sakura the truth or her herself; and also because I wanted the readers to see how Sasuke or Sakura would have acted when they were younger about little foreshadowing parts that will linger closer to the head plot idea of the story ewe You may skip them if you wish, I would not force anyone to read it if they felt it was not necessary in any sense! I just felt like it would fit well for the AU story (in my opinion, at least).

REPLIES TO REVIEWS (that need answers)-

harusaki-tsukiko- I'm very glad that you like the songs that I have picked out so far ;3 That makes me pleased. To the answer of your question: I am not too sure if I would be using Japanese music, although I love Japanese music myself. I can only speak two languages, English is my first and German is my second (because...I was born to learn English where I live and my father raised me to know German uwu'), and I can not understand Japanese all that well. I have put in a German song already in this fanfiction, only because I was shuffling my iPod for something that the girls would sing randomly. Japanese is, truthfully, a very **different **language from German xD I would be able to find songs for the fanfiction, but then it would require looking up the English or German translation and I really do not have time for that. When I do have freetime out of schooling and work, I would gladly try and piece in some of it for the sake of you C; It may not happen too often, but since you mentioned it, I will do my very best to try and get it for you! I hope you will enjoy the chapter and have a nice day!

Strawberrys000- Sorry I did not reply to your last Review! D; I've been very busy lately and have been unable to respond to any of them ;w; Poor me xD Anyway, I am very glad to hear that you enjoyed the last chapter and will enjoy this one as well! The suspense will come soon enough! *w*

akidakita24- Ooh, nice to meet you! ;D Thank you for checking out this story and I hope you will have a nice day!

Anyway~ Review, Favorite, Follow or whatever you wish to do to make yourself happy with Kitty's story C: It does not matter to me what it is, as long as you have a good day!

*DISCLAIMER- KITTY DOES NOT OWN ANYTHING THAT IS POPULAR AROUND THE COUNTRY/WORLD. SHE WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT SHE KNOWS OF THE RULES OF FF's LAW OF NO MUSIC, BUT OH WELL~ KITTY CAN'T MAKE LYRICS TO SAVE HER LIFE. IF ANYONE HAS AN ISSUE ABOUT THAT, THEY CAN REVIEW A COMPAINT ALL THEY WISH AND GO EAT A POPICLE (because they're yummy...but it's getting cold out now) SO GO GET HOT CHOCOLATE INSTEAD! OH, PLEASE DO! ;D*

=xxx=

**Age Five, Summer**

_Uchiha Sasuke watched as his two new friends, Naruto and Sakura, fling globs of dirt at each other at the edge of the forest that laid in the mansion's backyard. All of their parents were sitting as the patio, Sasuke too, sipping lemonade in the hot day; chatting about little things about their work and their children. He didn't like it when his parents didn't give him attention, but he also didn't like that there were other children in his backyard where he and his older brother would play much cooler games during the summer. This was all his mother's fault for inviting the Uzumaki and Harunos' over to let their children bond while they discussed adult things. But Sasuke wouldn't have any of that...he wanted his nii-sama back from his summer classes and kick the kids out._

_"Sasu-chan, why don't you go play with Naruto and Saku-chan?" Mikoto smiled at her youngest son, who was sitting on the wooden steps. "I think they're playing dragons or something."_

_"Hn."_

_"Let him be, Mikoto," Fugaku murmured as he nudged his wife closer to his side. "As I was saying, I think that the Hyuuga Inc. is trying to sell out mine. It's really pissing me off."_

_"They won't get through us, Fugaku," Kizashi roared a laugh as he scratched his pink-ish beard. "The Haruno and Uchiha families are too damn stubborn to lose to any weaklings."_

_"True, but what about me?" Minato cried teasingly of being left out._

_"Shut up, Minato-kun. We all know that I'm the one who wears the pants in the family!" Kushina pouted as she crossed her arms while sitting on Minato's cozy lap. She growled like Momma Cat whenever Sasuke would try and pull her tail as Minato cuddled her._

_'Boring...' Sasuke twitched as he pushed himself off the steps and made a 'yuuuck' noise of cooties that the adults would spread into the air if he stayed too close. He decided to see what the Dobe and the pink haired girl were up to, to his discomfort; trying to find out why Sakura was displaying a upset face as she sat on the swing under the giant oak tree, trying to kick Naruto in the gut._

_"I don't wanna!"_

_"But then I won't push you, Sakura-chaaan!" Naruto defended with his hands on his hips. "It is a even deal, you know."_

_"No it's not!"_

_"What're you doing, Dobe?" Sasuke muttered by Naruto's side, surprising the jumpy blond kid._

_"Teme! Sakura-chan won't give me a kiss so I can push her on the swings," Naruto explained as he pointed to her in a fussy manner, his cheeks red with upset nerves and tears of rejection. "It is a even deal, right? A kiss for pushing a girl on the swings!"_

_"You're an idiot," Sasuke rolled his eyes. He took silent steps to behind Sakura's back and pulled his hands out of his jacket pockets and gripped to the dirty ropes that held the swing up. "How high do you want it?"_

_"Not too high, please!" Sakura politely smiled to him and crossed her ankles. "Arigato, Sasuke-kun."_

_"Hn."_

_Mebuki looked at how her daughter, having a angry face at Uzuamaki Naruto one minute, and is now happier then a child at Christmas as Uchiha Sasuke gently pushed her only child on the swing, having a blank expression on his face. She knew from years with the Uchihas' that the eyes of the men are always their true feelings, and she read that Sasuke was enjoying his time helping the pink-haired girl on the swing. "I think Sasuke is starting to know what it is like to share, guys..."_

_Mikoto and Kushina's heads quickly snapped around to see Naruto sitting on his butt and fussing with steam coming out of his ears as Sakura was enjoying Sasuke's treatment. Both girls squealed like schoolgirls and cling to their man at their throats. Fugaku showed no emotion as Mikoto's arms constricted his tough neck and placing kisses on his face; while Minato physically struggled to breath with Kushina's hold on him._

_Kizashi wrapped an arm around Mebuki's thin shoulders. "You don't want to tackle me, Mebuki-chan?"_

_"Nu-uh, baka," Mebuki twitched an eyebrow at him. "You think of me as a weak woman who swoons over childhood affection? Bah! You're full of yourself, Kizashi-kun."_

_"Perhaps I am..." he thought very hard about the comment his wife gave him, smiling little as he came up with something else in mind. "But those two better not break my daughter's heart, got it, men?"_

_"I heard a little girl in the kids' classes has an eye for Naruto," Kushina puckered her lips. "I've seen Sakura play with her on the playground... She's kawaii!"_

_"Her name is Hinata, I believe," Minato added in._

_Fugaku choked on his lemonade, coughing hard on the sweet liquid as Mikoto pat his back as gently as she could with Momma Cat prancing up for her attention. "THAT IS HYUUGA'S KID, DAMN IT!"_

_"Hey, this is my kid, Fugaku," Minato laughed. "Don't fuss over something that isn't even your kid. Besides, I think Sasuke would rather hang around with Sakura then the whole Victoria Secret models, you know? Unlike Naruto..."_

_"Now that's my next story!" Kushina announced. "One time, I took Naruto with me to join in the modeling shoot with the Victoria Secret Swimsuit Line and, I gotta admit, that little boy was even more excited then opening his birthday presents. Anyway, so when we got there..."_

_Mebuki and Kizashi watched as their only child begged the Uchiha youngster to take her higher on the swing, having him say no and it was unsafe; keeping it as a low pace and made sure Naruto stayed out of their way. They figured that he would be an acceptable match for their little girl, seeing how he wanted to take care of Sakura and make sure she was happy. They both knew that if anything was to happen to either of them when Sakura grew up, the Uchiha and Uzumaki family would be here to keep her well._

_If only they got to see Sakura in present time._

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Seven- Say it Softly

Sasuke entered the men's locker room, shoving his backpack to the wall as he inhaled sharply as his fist clenched tightly when he stepped into the aisle upon aisles of lockers. His blank expression suddenly turned fierce and angry as he punched the metal door of an innocent locker to leave a ugly dent into it; he groaned as the shot of disturbed nerves shot throughout his arm and into his body, punching with his other hand onto the same locker of someone he doesn't know.

"Fuck!" Sasuke screamed in anger, hitting his forehead on the cool metal as he breathed harshly through tight teeth. He groaned again as he slumped back and sat on the dirty ground, running his hand through his hair and press his palm against his mouth. His anger was escalating like wildfire across a dry field, and it would be getting worse if he didn't do something to calm himself soon.

He shivered in the back of his head as he pulled out his cellphone from his back pocket and slowly began to dial the numbers he had sketched into his memory like cement. Pulling the technology to his ear, he breathed well enough to keep his tone down to his usual cool tone (even though his face expression was still angered as hell's fire).

"Uchiha residence, this is Sakura speaking!" _'Thank you whoever is the higher power...' _Sasuke sighed in his thoughts.

"Sakura."

"Sasuke-kun, I didn't reconize your number on the caller ID!" Sakura began to ramble. "Did you know that I can heard your house phone from all the way in my bathroom? That's about...in my bedroom, through the walk-in closet and into that thing! It's really interesting how I can hear things when no one is in the house."

Sasuke didn't mind how this particular girl would ramble about the most _annoying _things. And, when I say annoying, my dear readers, it is the word that the Uchiha Sasuke himself would use to express any girl's rambles about useless things; usually walking away from the female's pitched voice and get on with his day. But today, after what exactly happened to bring the icecubed man into a fit of abusing a locker, Sasuke would do anything to hear Sakura's voice. The voice he loved to listen to when she's happy, or sad, or mad or even when she is pmsing (and that is a rare thing for a guy in my book).

"...and then Momma Cat did the most funniest thing to Ichigo and his little sister -I think we named her Muffin, right?- I dunno, but anyway! She found them fighting over my sock and she sound just like Auntie Kushina when she found Naruto stashing Minato's goodies in his room!" Sakura's giggles suddenly melted all the troubled emotions out of his ribs, now all was left was his migrane and fists. "And when I was cleaning the livingroom for Fugaku-sama, I found a giant dust bunny that was the size of my fist! I tried to throw it away but the kitties literally chased me all around the mansion in a herd of demons."

"Did they now?" Sasuke asked cooly as he laid back on the bench, throwing his arm over his eyes and closed his black orbs to try and think of his happy place. _'Dead bastards rotting into the pits of Hell as I laugh like a fucking maniac as I stab them with a pitchfork...'_

"Uh-huh, but I got it into the trashcan so they won't be able to get it now," Sakura mewed adorably. "And then I finished stacking my closet with all of Ino's clothes, so I'm pretty much good for any dressy-like ball or a party where they serve those fancy wines, you know? I really don't want to wear a dress anymore but all the women in this world scare me like a child with the boogeyman."

_'...and maybe have Sakura by my side?'_

"Did you know that theres' a package of frozen tomatos in the freezer? I dunno if it is yours' or Fugaku-samas', but I'm going to make a tomato soup for both of you one of these days before it gets freezerburn, damn it! I hate it how you two can buy the whole store's supply of tomatos and think you can stash them away like squirrels? You two are so weird sometimes, god!" Sakura started to name off the ideas of what to put into the soup for him and his father, trying to pry out what else to add in besides more tomatos. "I can put cheese in it, or goldfish crackers! You like those, I know you do. I could also put it with a side of noodles with a tomato skins, or..? Bah, I'll think of it later."

Sasuke's lips twitched into a little smirk. "So how are you feeling?"

"Uhm, I feel alright," Sakura popped her lips. "I felt like I was going to get sick from a coughing fit after I ate my breakfast, so I am skipping lunch for now."

"Don't have anything with dairy, Sakura," Sasuke said in a low voice, knowing how our dear Sakura likes sweet things with milk. "That can clog your throat."

"I know that, you idiot!" Sakura whined. "I'm skipping lunch and drinking tons of water. But my mouth still tastes like iron and I'm starting to get a headache and snuffles recently."

"Do you need me to come home? Where is Mother?"

"Auntie went out to work," Sakura sighed annoyed. "I told her to get out and I'd be fine. Don't baby me, Sasuke-kun; I'm a big girl now."

If he was a different man, Sasuke would have laughed wholeheartedly, like his mother, at how stubborn this girl was; from even picking out proper clothes to wear for the weather to only eat certain things so she wouldn't feel ill in the belly later on. But, as we all dislike about Uchiha Sasuke in any given world, he can not laugh properly. He only smirked bigger as he scolded with a tsk tsk noise into his phone.

"I better not come home to see you hovering over the toilet," Sasuke finished the arguement.

"Did you like my lunch, Sasuke-kun? Was it alright to eat?" Sakura started to press questions on the lunch she made for Sasuke this morning, surprising him before he took off for school.

Well, Sasuke would have enjoyed the lunch Sakura prepared for him, probably geting up earlier then Mikoto usually would to fix everything just right, to end up being eaten in vain and anger. Uchiha Sasuke didn't enjoy his lunch for one reason and one reason only. That reason, for whatever was held into a grudge in Sasuke's mind and body, was only just _one _thing besides a spoiled tomato... Hyuuga Neji has really started to push his buttons recently. His rumors were getting more detailed and more personal then he thought possible.

_"So I heard Uchiha Fugaku got drunk at a party last weekend," Neji muttered loud enough for Sasuke to hear behind his back. "He had to get a cab to drive him home to sleep on the couch because his wife is getting sick of it."_

_Actually, it was Hinata's father, Hiashi, who had gotten drunk at a party -a gettogether for old college buddies, as Sasuke recalled- and it was Hinata's father who crashed at his friend's house for the night because he forgot his address. It wasn't anything Sasuke, or even Fugaku would make fun of; the man was only having fun with old friends. But what really got under Sasuke's skin in the first place was about his older brother._

_"And I heard that the band Akatsuki may be shutting down soon," Neji whispered to another pal, "for technical issues that piss off the audience... Although, I don't think it is the technology messing up the singer's voice. I think it's just him whole."_

_Sasuke would smash his last bite of tomato in his mouth, grinding his teeth as Naruto threw cuss words over to how Neji needs to braid his hair intime for the Playboy photoshoot, pressing to his best friend that he should leave before he...snapped. When Sasuke snapped, it wasn't something you wanted to see or even witness from a distance._

_"Just go on, man," Naruto urged gently. "He's not worth it and we all know that his words are bullshit, Dattebayo! Hey, if you want me to make up rumors against him, Hinata tells me that he sings 'Baby Got Back' in the shower and might be humping his own pillow at night."_

Sure, Sasuke could play fire with fire...but that can lead to other things that could get him in trouble with the school. So, taking Naruto's words of 'wisdom' (lawl, like Naruto had wisdom!), Sasuke left the eating area to yell in the locker rooms. Of course, we can't know everything Neji says about his family but we can all tell that the Uchiha and Hyuuga family are not creatures to co-exist with each other. Not now and not ever in the era of humanity.

"Yeah, it was the best lunch I've had in months," Sasuke answered softly. "My favorite was the stuffed tomato skins."

"Ha, I knew you would like it!" Sakura purred. "I think I will make you another bento for the rest of the week, too, if you don't mind. At least until school gets out for winter vacation, okay? I'm not taking no for an answer."

"What are you doing now?" Sasuke scratched his nose. He didn't want anything to be directed to him right now, and Sakura was doing a good job at calming him down in the first place.

"Uhh, I'm just watching a movie in the livingroom right now," Sakura thought for a moment. "I'm going to put in _Titanic _so I have something to listen to while I try to relax... I don't feel all that well."

"I'll come home after schoo-"

"No, you're not missing out on band practice when you have only a few weeks until your next performance! Don't fuss over me, damn it," Sakura growled. "I'm not saying you need to practice or anything, but you should anyway."

"It's not a big deal." Sasuke just didn't want to stay at school longer then he had to with Hyuuga running around.

"I don't care what kind of deal it is, Sasuke-kun. You're going to practice and like it," Sakura was just about to hang up when Sasuke finally sighed in defeat, smiling evily at her won battle. "I'll make you a snack when you get home then!"

"You don't have to do that," Sasuke mumbled when he heard Sakura yawned into the phone. "Why don't you go relax for a while and I'll see you in a little bit, alright? Remember, no dairy or thick substances."

"Okie dokie, Sasuke-kun," Sakura drawled.

"I'll see you later, bye." Sasuke hung up, finally ready to take on the world he wished he could stay away from forever and maybe hide in his crush's arms.

Sakura smiled as she turned off the house phone, setting it on the table when Ichigo and some of his other siblings hopped onto the sofa and cuddle with Sakura's blanket that she dug out from her closet; making a makeshift bedding on the livingroom couch set. The white tabby girl curled herself on the pillow that was by Sakura's feet and two grey tabby boys sit on Sakura's own feet while Ichigo, the only solid color kittycat pawed up to Sakura's belly and mewled at her in greeting.

"Hi Ichigo-chan," Sakura giggled as she rubbed the kitten's ears, using the other hand of hers to grab the DVD remote. She changed into her pajamas, while wearing a swetshirt she got with her school's mascot on it, a ninja, printed on the front with a chibi-ish face. She flipped to the DVD box controls and started the movie she already placed in before the housephone rang.

She watched the opening credits of the American company that made the English movie (thank God for japanese subs) and readied herself for the fancy music and the old-fashioned looking opening; watching how pretty the women looked in the movie and how they could easily enchant young men. She sighed and laid back on the cushion, resting her sore head on the soft plush with more cats coming her way with Momma Cat following close behind. It was kinda funny how these cats will keep Sakura company for any reason at all, just staying by her side when she felt lonely in the big house with people at work or school...or dates, parties, etc.

Momma Cat hopped her heavy set body onto the cushion, settling herself down with the offsprings curling by her sides. Sakura smiled at the cuteness cats portrayed, even giggling at the idea if Sakura was to be a mother someday: cuddling with her own children when she just wants to ease the day. Not like anything exciting would happen for Sakura since she doesn't party or can do anything 'adventerous'. She figured she would never do anything like a normal person.

Could she?

The Englishwoman screamed out for her daughter's attention, Rose, Sakura remembered offhand. She liked this character since she disobeyed her mother in the right of living to do something special with another- the kind of guy she should have married and not have him freeze to death! Why Jack? Why couldn't it be her fiancee instead? Even though he died in the thirties...but we all know we wanted that bastard dead _looong _before that, right? Sakura wished there was someone like Jack in her life; willing to steal her from the world illnesses and medical crap and take her dancing in a unhealthy enviroment, kiss her under the stars and even take her somewhere private to feel loved for once in her life like Sasuke-

Hold up. Sasuke? _Uchiha Sasuke, _the young man who shows no emotion and is probably never going to acknowledge Sakura's feelings for him so she could feel happy? Sakura's chest ached at the mistake she figured of thinking anything like that about Sasuke, the guy who is and always will...and always have to be her friend. She cursed her mental conscience to Hell and settled her mind to something more realistic then her stupid fantasy with Sasuke, like how Jack and his French friend remind her of Naruto and Kiba when they would gamble over some piece of paper (which, at that time, was Hinata's phonenumber) and Naruto would ask for Sakura's help to cheat.

Sakura smiled at the scene when Jack and his buddy would go to the front of the ship and announce their royal place of the sea and watch the dolphins swim. It was very entertaining as she pet Ichigo's silky fur as he purred like a motorboat on her tummy, causing the soreness inside her to ease in her abdomen. Her lungs still felt thick and sore, hitting the back of her throat and making it scratchy.

A sudden urge to cough ripped into her mouth, trying so hard to hold it back so she didn't cause irritation. It didn't do anything to help her as she inhaled large and threw wet coughs into her sleeve, trying to make sure she didn't disturbed the cats with her noisy lungs; it didn't seem to bother them as much as she noticed how their heads looked her way and mew to her in question. She tasted the iron on her tongue as she swallowed it back down, not wanting to stain the pretty couch that Mikoto picked out long ago.

_'So gross,' _Sakura complained in her mind as her lungs and heartrate calmed down, sniffling through her nose while looking at the tiny dots of crimson on her dark sweatshirt. She sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest and tried to focus on the movie...

It was hard to forget the fact that Sakura was sick and bleeding on the inside, never to know what it was like to have the stuff other girls have. Her throat tightened even more tighter as she saw her eyesight blur with a coat of tears.

"I'm not gonna cry, damn it," Sakura croaked. She hated crying, even alone in a big house like this one. She hasn't really cried since the night her parents passed away but she had shed a single tear every now and then over things she thought was stupid to cry over; like how she's not like other girls, unable to have a boyfriend and do things that excite life. Sakura felt Ichigo's paws press closer to her ribs, mewing quietly to comfort the poor girl's sadness. She looked up to see Momma Cat to move her way closer to Sakura's side and rest by her side with her babies following her in pursuit, resting her large head on her clothed hip and let her giant blue eyes look at her as if to say _'It's always okay to cry.' _

"It's not okay to cry..." Sakura told herself as she inhaled to settle down. She moved her eyes back to the giant T.V. screen, but moved her fingers to pet Momma Cat's head gently in thanks for her comfort.

=xxx=

Naruto yawned loudly as the last bell of the day pierced into his sensitive ears. Damn, he was only able to nap for a good five minutes in his boring class of icky _math; _he wasn't even sure he had even gotten the page number of the homework for tonight... Oh well, he could always copy it off of Kiba or something. He was way more excited to see Hinata and all of his friends at the school's auditorium and practice for his concert coming up, mostly because Sasuke said he and Sakura would be singing with the band for a song. Dattebayo! It's about time Sakura got back with the band since Karin offered to lend her voice to sing with Sasuke (so she could be closer to Suigetsu, that poor man) but she always sounds like a pooping cow dying of choking on Kushina's cooking.

Our favorite blond got up from his desk to see Sasuke pass by his room with his back to him. With his cat-like sneer on his face, Naruto hopped on his toes into the busy hallway of students to sneek up on his dear friend's back, tickling the nape with his tanned fingers on the short spikes.

"Sa-su-ke," Naruto hummed in a naughty voice, tugging on the back of Sasuke's collar, "are you feeling better now, Sasuke-kuuun?"

Sasuke's large hand shot behind his head, grabbing Naruto's playful one and started twisting his friend's fingers until they started cracking. Uzumaki Naruto howled like a animal as he tried to pull his hand away as best as he could.

"Ne, ne! Owwie owwie, _Sasuuuke! _THAT HURTS, DATTEBAYO!" Naruto scrambled in Sasuke's grip as the stronger Uchiha slowly turned his head to watch his only best friend scramble to save his good hand; finally letting it go for him to fall backwards into the crowd of cheerleaders, who gradually hissed and attacked the perverted boy with their sharp nails of fury. Oh yes, Sasuke may say that Naruto is his best friend but there are limits to the Bromance that many girls like to picture of what they call SasuNaru.

"Dobe, don't bother me," Sasuke muttered when Naruto was able to escape from the women's wrath.

"Sorry, man. I was just worried for my homie," Naruto sniffled as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, patting it gently when he forced a smile. "But you are feeling better right?"

"Aa."

"Good! 'Cause I am plotting a plan with Ma at dinner tonight on how to get Akamaru's shit in Neji's gym locker," Naruto began roaring a laughter as his blue eyes shot up to the ceiling in a master-laugh. "If gym clothes can smell like shit, so can he for the rest of the day, Dattebayo!"

"Hn... That's stupid," Sasuke rolled his eyes as he went back to walking towards the auditorium. Naruto skipped behind him as his plan continued to play out in his head.

"Try telling that to Ma and she'll have your head," Naruto defended for his mother's sake.

"Whatever," Sasuke sighed, checking his phone for any text messages and found two from Sakura.

Naruto, the little ninja that he is, peeked over his shoulder and cooed. "Aww, Sakura-chan isn't feeling well? Maybe Sasuke-kun should head home and nurse her back to health!" He recieved an elbow to the chest, quivering in pain as he gripped to Sasuke's uniform coat to stay balanced. "Heeey, don't hit me for that! I'm just saying that this would be a good time for you and her to have bonding time, you know?"

"Why would I do something like that, Dobe?" Sasuke asked in a flat voice.

"If you're still being a wuss in asking her out, whether she's sick or not, I think she would be happier then me at a Ninja Convention," Naruto explained in perfect words as he followed his friend to the stage door, digging out his key for Sasuke and tossing it to him. "I'm just thinking that it would make her feel better that she wouldn't be alone at that giant house. Remember when I made Sakura believe that it was haunted by the ghosts of the cupcake eaters when we were little? Ha, that got her good... But seriously, I think I saw crumbs of sprinkles in the guestroom."

Sasuke unlocked the stage door and went inside, not saying another word to Naruto as he kept talking. "And, for your sake, it would prove to me and the other guys that you're not possibly gay or bisexual; since you have been with us a lot lately, I think you really should skip practice today and head on home to the lucky lady."

"Calling me gay won't get me anywhere but my foot up your ass, Dobe."

"I know, but it was worth a shot, right?" Naruto's eyes twinkled as he scurried to the lightbox, switching the lights on to brighten the stage and the front row. "At least cut practice short for today, please? I want to treat Hinata to a fancy dinner at this new restaurant."

"Did your cooking try to eat her face?" Sasuke smirked rudely as he pulled out the microphone cord from the back. "I told you trying to use your father's secret spice would kill someone."

"Teme!" Naruto cried out.

Sasuke wrapped the long cord before using his other hand to reply to Sakura's text message.

**-message-**

**Sakura:**

**I'm not feeling so well right now, **

**Sasuke-kun. Do you know where the**

**headache medication is? I can't find it!**

**QwQ'**

He was worried for Sakura's headache. Mostly because she would have a difficult time trying to sleep and recover from her cold if her head is throbbing and her throat is sore. He pressed his thumbs around on the keypad to reply.

**-reply-**

**Check in Mother's bathroom.**

**Drink some tea with it and keep the lights**

**off in whatever room you're in.**

"Hey Teme, did you find out when those Winter Exhibits open downtown? I really want to pre-order the tickets for everyone before people start attacking the stands like a mob at a shoe sale!" Naruto screwed the microphone piece into the cord, looking focused in trying to get it on right. "And afterwards, my dad got us gold passes to the outdoor icerink after we eat dinner, okay?"

"I found out that it opens on December sixteenth," Sasuke answered calmly. "We could take the city train over there and walk..."

"And have the girls use our jackets to stay warm, yaaay!" Naruto rolled on the dirty floor. "Hinata-chan loves my jacket and I love her like ramen- No, I love her _more _then ramen! She can be my naughty Ramen Girl tonight, huuur!" He wrapped his own body in the cord and unrolled himself easily. He continued the process when Ino and Shikamaru walked in.

"What is the blond idiot mumbling about now?" Shikamaru sighed lazily as she slumped into his seat.

"Something about ramen and Hinata-chan," Ino answered as she watched Sasuke pull out his cell phone again. She smirked evily, knowing exactly who Uchiha Sasuke would ever text during practice or whatever!

**-message-**

**Sakura:**

**Alrighty, thank you, Sasuke-kun!**

**I'll save you some tea for when you**

**come home, okay? Have a good time**

**at practice!**

"Wheres' my Hinata-chaaan?" Naruto whimpered as he fell off the stage, slamming on his side painfully as he called out for his lovely girlfriend.

"I saw her talking to Neji a while ago. Something about dinner plans for Thanksgiving?" Ino didn't bother to help Naruto back up from the ground, now coiled into the microphone cords and unable to move much.

Sasuke watched as Naruto sprang up, still in the wraps of the cord as he tried to hop his way out of the auditorium. "She promised me she would join my family for Thanksgiving, damn it! That long-haired mofo can't take my pretty girl away! Mine! Mine! Mine, mine, mine!" He fell faceflat on the ruggy flooring as Ino and Shikamaru laughed hard and Karin and Suigetsu just entered the area to see the bass player crying out for help.

Uchiha Sasuke knew it was going to be a long practice... He decided it was going to be cut short anyway.

=xxx=

Sasuke entered his household to hear the television on, greeted by some of Momma Cat's offsprings looking at him before scurring off into the living room. He set down his backpack and guitarcase before slipping off his shoes; setting them on the shoerack to properly enter the household, trying to step over more cats to enter the livingroom to see Rose and Jack running in the lower part of the ship, slow-motion on Rose's frilly dress before they would enter the Storage.

"Sakura, I'm home," Sasuke said as he came closer to the sofa, looking to see a blanket with skinny legs underneath with her toes sticking out. Kittens of all ages clung to her feet, cuddling and purring on her chilly footing as his eyes roamed up her legs to her first little hand clinging to the wool blanket and looked at her sweatshirt sleeve -so she picked out her school sweatshirt- and found her head resting on the cushion of the couch, sleeping with her pink hair messed everywhere.

Seriously, Sasuke's cheeks tinted a single shade pinker (counting that the November chillyness has gotten to his exposed skin) while just watching Sakura's other hand curl by her chin as she sniffled in her sleep. He crept over the armrest and sat down by Sakura's slumbering head, letting his long fingers touch her pink chops gently. "Sakura, wake up..."

Sakura's face scrunched up before she rubbed under her nose. Her eyes slowly opened to look up at his pretty black eyes, smiling tiredly as she pushed herself up gently. "Welcome home, Sasuke-kun. How was band practice?"

"It was fine," Sasuke said as he pushed his hand through her bang to feel her forehead. Feeling that it was warmer then usual to the touch, he checked to see if she had any tea -since she kept the lights on- and found a mug sitting on the coaster. He checked inside to see a single drop in to know that Sakura has had all of her portion of the warm drink, which pleased him greatly. He watched her slouch on the back and try to focus her eyes on the movie, suddenly interested into the scene that was about to take place. "Have you had any accidents?"

"No, nothing I couldn't handle," Sakura answered with a smile. She reached her arms out to tug on his jacket. "Why not take it off and watch the rest of the movie with me, Sasuke-kun? You haven't seen this movie in forever."

"It's a chick flick."

"No it's not! It is a drama movie that is appropriate for both girls and guys, you buttface," Sakura growled as she pulled him back, resting her head on his shoulder and wrap her arms around his strong bicep. "Just until the ship starts to sink; I can't handle it when that French guy dies..."

"He's Italian, Sakura," Sasuke sighed.

"Huh?"

"Jack's friend is Italian, not French," Sasuke said once more as he unzipped his coat. "I thought I told you that before."

"Bah, I can't tell the difference, okay? Sue me!" Sakura pouted angrily, huffing once before hiding her upset expression on Sasuke's shoulder, snuggling her skull when she watched Jack as he pretended to be a driver for Rose.

_"Where to, Miss?" _Leonardo's English voice matched with the subtitles.

_"Under the stars," _Rose whispered softly into his ear, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to pull him into the back.

Oh no, not _this _part of the movie! Sakura's cheeks flushed deep with her fever as she faked a yawn to block out Rose's request to have her lover take her; the scene that would make any single girl uncomfortable with a boy in the house alone. Not that Sakura minded the sex scene that was placed in movies she would watch with Sasuke -hell, they watched tons of movies with sex in it alone in the household- but when Sakura was cuddling Sasuke's arm, like she would do whenever she was tired...you can see why she would be feeling this way, right? She would have to pull the ultimate actress moves with this, trying to act more tired then excited with her heart thumping in her chest as she dared to glance at Sasuke, who was watching the movie with a calm expression- Damn it! How can this guy be so calm? She pouted a little as she moved her green eyes back to the screen when a hand pressed against the foggy glass.

Sasuke felt Sakura sigh as her whole body relaxed against him, snuggling her head on his coated shoulder. He liked it that Sakura was keeping herself relaxed and close to his side; not that he wasn't having his own mental battle with his innerself, he was probably doing better then Naruto would if he was with Hinata. If he didn't know any better, Naruto would probably makeout with the once-innocent Hyuuga until they couldn't hold it in anymore. Not that Sasuke wouldn't mind to do the same thing -with Sakura, of course- but you know the big thing, right? _They're not together, god damn it!_

Sakura's grip on his coat loosened as he noticed her eyes closed once more, burying her nose into the fabric of his coat at the scene when Jack and Rose reunite after she was forced onto the lifeboat. He sighed through his nose before turning down the movie with the T.V. remote and straightened his back off of the cushion to strip himself of his winter jacket, getting hot from the house's heat as he slipped his arms out; being gentle as he could, he wrapped his heating jacket around Sakura's shoulder, tucking her with it as she made a noise of the movement.

"Stupid...monkey banana," she muttered under her breath, causing Sasuke to naturally roll his eyes in amusement.

Sasuke slowly slipped his hands underneath Sakura's blanket, itching under her kneecaps and around her shoulders; he slowly lifted her up from the couch, her blanket and his jacket still on her while Ichigo sprang from her lap onto the sofa, glaring at the Uchiha's moves. Sakura's weight was always light, probably too light for her height but she was not ill-starved. He surely had no problem just carrying her around the whole mansion if he wanted to, in fact, he once carried her to the car when she fell asleep on his back during the festival. Her thin arms naturally stuck out from his coat's fuzzy fabric and wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands linking together as her face buried itself into his steaming neck and sighed softly.

He couldn't help himself but smirk when Sakura's snuggled herself in Sasuke's hold. Just feeling how cuddly she is with certain people made selected people, such as Sasuke, honored to have this pretty lady trusting someone to actually carry her. On one occasion, Sakura was sleeping after and MRI scan at the age of thirteen and a doctor took the liberty to carry her back to her room for Mikoto...but little did the doctor at the time understood that Sakura could tell whos' carrying her (a friend or stranger) and actually fights in her sleep like she's being abducted. The outcome was that Mikoto had to carry the tired girl away from the doctor who sported a bloody nose and a black eye.

"Where is teh map, Captain?" Sakura slurred against Sasuke's strong neck. He only took two steps up the stairs before she started blabbing. "The Lucky Charms...where did teh guu?"

"Lucky Charms are for kids, Sakura," Sasuke answered quietly, just having too much fun with this. He started walking down to the hallway towards Sakura's bedroom, being followed by Ichigo as always.

"Thats Trix yogurt...you...you idiot," Sakura grumbled.

Since Sakura's door was already open, Sasuke used his knee to prop it more open for Ichigo to scurry in first before walking in with Sakura still holding on to him like a child with a parent. He carefully walked over to Sakura's bed, placing her bottom on the edge and used a free hand to pull her purple quilt down for her legs to settle under her sheets; tucking her little feet up and her to slide down naturally, sighing for the mattresses cottony plush. He was careful to reach back of his head and unlock each of her fingers with gentle care, watching as her hands slide off of his shoulders and curl under her chin and held Sasuke's coat closer to her body as she balled up adorably.

Sasuke tucked the quilt to Sakura's shoulders and was about to turn and leave before a little hand gripped to his uniform shirt. He looked down to see Sakura's sleepy eyes looking at him with that damn _cuuute _pout on her doll-like lips.

"Sasuke-kun, stay here," Sakura whimpered, tugging on the shirt weakly.

Sasuke turned back to face her and unhooked her fingers from his clothes. "Let me take a shower and I'll come back, alright?" He knelt down and brushed her pink hair out of her pretty face as he smirked. "Did you find the map yet?"

"Nuu..." Sakura slurred, her gaze drifting away from his to look for it.

He smirked a bit bigger. "Look for it until I come back."

"Okaaay," Sakura smiled weakly and fell asleep once more, sighing softly before Ichigo came up onto the bed and went to sleep behind Sakura's neck, licking her bare skin with his sandy tongue.

Sasuke watched her for a few more moments before leaning forward and press his mouth onto her hairline, kissing her head gently to hear her sigh very sleepishly. He pulled away from her and left Sakura's room to get in the shower.

_Eight year-old Sakura opened her eyes in the snow, noticing how a thin coat of the white iceflakes ontop of her coat-less body. She slowly moved her arms to get ready to prop herself up onto her elbows and make her way over to her parents' car that laid in the wreck of the crash; her body moving in slow-motion as she called out for her mother and father._

_"Mo...mmy," Sakura's cries echoed in the winter's wind, "it...hurts..."_

_The passenger window was in her view as she tried to crouch low enough to peek inside, looking for anything that showed sign that either of her parents attention was ready to come to her, ready to put a bandaid on her owwies._

_"Mommy...my head hu-!"_

_Mebuki's corpsed jaw hung open in the shock of dying. Her green eyes were lifeless and wide as the tears of blood dripped out of the corner of the woman's eyes. The same goes for the wife's husband with the expression of bleeding tears and horrid, frozen fear that would never be fixed. _

_"Daddy..? Mom! Dad!"_

_Kizashi's dead face slowly turned from the windshield to stare into Sakura's eyes. Sakura backed away from the window, screaming at the top of her lungs as her mother's hollowing face looked her way as well._

_"Sakura," Kizashi's unmoving mouth called out to his daughter. "Sakura, come here and help us."_

_Sakura's lower lip quivered as tears swelled into her eyes. She shook her head furiously, screaming unknown words at the nightmare she was having and begged to wake up. She cried hard as she tried to run away from the car wreck, only to have the winter wind push her back into her crouching position._

_"Sakura, don't ignore your father, darling," Mebuki's voice was stern and serious. "We need your help right now."_

_"Y-you're...__**DEAD!**__" Sakura cried out, trying to push away from her parents' reaching arms. "Don't touch me!" She screamed louder when the dead arms of her beloved parents grabbed her and began to drag her into their cold graves._

Sakura sat up with a fearful cry for help. Tears fell from her pretty eyes as she cried out with her hands on her face, trying to hide them from staining her...bedsheets? When did she go to bed? Last time Sakura remembered, she was watching a movie with Sasuke downstairs and holding his cozy-

She looked down to find Sasuke's jacket in her arms, hugging her skinny form as she outlined the stitches of the fabric with more and more tears falling down her cheeks; her heartrate speeding up to a abnormal speed as a lump began to form in the back of her throat. Her fingers pressed to her neck as she tried to swallow it back down before a coughing fit occured. Her lips parted as wet liquid squirt from her mouth as her coughs hurt her head so badly.

She covered her mouth as blood dripped through her fingers. "Sakura?" Damn it. Sasuke heard!

Sakura looked over to see Sasuke in his sweatpants..._only his sweatpants! _His black hair was still dripping wet when he turned on the nightstand lamp and sit on the edge of the bed, pushing Ichigo out of his way slowly before touching the sides of her sore head. She shut her eyes tightly as another fit of coughs emerged and she felt drops of blood hit her palm. She felt so ashamed and embarrassed!

"Sakura, uncover your mouth," Sasuke commanded gently, touching her wrists. He felt her cheeks were hotter then before he left and understood that her fever has risen. "Come on. Let me see."

Sakura's thoughts fuzzed when Sasuke's strength removed her hands from her mouth, seeing the strands of gooey blood stick to her fingers as she whimpered out. She felt so horrible for Sasuke to see this; not that it was the grossest thing he has seen yet, but the fact that this was happening when she was suppose to be sleeping is what bothered her the most. She didn't want to talk about her nightmare -the fever's reaction onto her body was proving that just right- with anyone to worry for her.

She didn't see how Sasuke reached for her box of tissues that she had on her nightstand, taking a good handful and began to dab her lips with gentleness that surprised her and clean her palms in slow paces. His eyes weren't fixed onto her face, just paying his attention to the little mess Sakura developed. She whimpered a bit louder when Sasuke was reaching for more tissues.

"What hurts?" Sasuke asked in a cool voice.

"Mm... Here." Sakura's slightly dirtied finger touched her forehead, minding the major headache that was becoming too much for her to handle at once. She swallowed thickly to taste the strong iron and the icky aftertaste. "And my throat..."

Sasuke opened the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out the weekly-sortments of Sakura's medication, made by Mikoto herself to hold Sakura's needed nightmeds; he also pulled out a small bottle of Advil. He opened Monday's container and got two pills of the Advil into his palm. "Take your night meds first."

Sakura nodded slowly and took the numerous tablets, picking each one slowly out of Sasuke's hand and grabbed the water bottle. She took all of them at once and swallowed in one simple gulp. She then took the Advil pills and swallowed them next.

"Lay down."

Sakura's numbing thoughts obeyed Sasuke as she curled down to rest her sore head on her pillow; pressing her nose on her silky pillowcase and cling to Sasuke's coat even tighter then before. She didn't mistake the sound of Sasuke exhale in relief as her blanket magically covered her arms. She looked up tiredly to see Sasuke's hand brush her pink strands out of her her face, using the pad of his thumb to soothe the sorespot on her temple. She slipped her hand from under her blanket to grab his wrist and apply pressure to his hand to rest on her cheek.

"My head hurts, Sasuke-kun..." Sakura whimpered lightly in a croaking voice. She watched Ichigo climb around her pillow and rest of the crown of her head, pressing his pink nose into her silky hair.

"I know it does. Just try and relax, okay?" Sasuke's soft voice helped greatly for Sakura's headache as his fingers pushed a lock behind her little ear. His black eyes watched as her eyes closed slowly and finally felt calm in his own mind; just watching Sakura fall back to sleep eased his troubles of thinking she would be scared to rest. He pressed his palm on her broad forehead and guessed that her fever is constant on a high degree that made her cute cheeks bleed red.

He sighed and sat on the edge of Sakura's bed until his mother came home.

=xxx=

"Sasuke-kun, lemme get out of bed now!" Sakura poked Sasuke's knee with her pinky finger. Her lower lip pouted furiously while using her other hand to pet Ichigo's spine gently. "I don't feel sick anymore."

"No."

Sakura's emerald eyes fired up with stubborness. "Why not? I stayed in bed like Auntie told me to _all day. _I'm really, really bored and I want to see everyone downstairs." Sakura could hear all of her close friends laughing and chatter from the livingroom ever since Sasuke returned home from school with them. Ever since she woke up that morning of Tuesday, Sasuke literally scared her into staying in bed for today and rest up; but the noise of fun was too inviting to Sakura when Sasuke came in with toast and sat to make sure Sakura ate all of it to fill her stomach. "I feel much better now, I swear."

Sasuke looked at her with a raised brow. Sure, Sakura looked much better then last night's accident that led him to stay up all night by her bedside while she slept like a rock, but he wasn't going to take any chances. "No."

"Hmmm!" Sakura puffed her cheeks and stuck her tongue out at him, defeated to the great Uchiha icecube. She placed the empty plate on her nightstand and crossed her arms, having Ichigo paw up to her shoulder and sniff her cheek curiously. "At least entertain me, Sasuke-kun."

"What do you want?"

Sakura's lip curled into the cat-like smile that Sasuke thought she picked up from Ino and Naruto, watching as she snuggled her nose to Ichigo's pointy ear as she muttered the horrid words that Sasuke tensed at. Surely Sakura wouldn't go there.

"Please?" Sakura pouted.

"No."

"Why not?" Sakura literally yelled. "It always cheers me up when I'm in a mood, you know!" She moved her feet away from him, showing that she was now very upset with Sasuke (not that he really cared). But, Sasuke will admit in his head, he didn't like displeasing this girl.

"Hey, whats with all of the yelling?" Naruto's husky voice echoed from the hallway. Sasuke groaned lowly as _everyone _came into Sakura's room; Ino jumping onto Sakura's bed, kicking Sasuke off with her foot as she kissed Sakura's cheek, Hinata and Naruto held hands as they greeted the ill girl with their great smiles. "Teme! You said that Sakura-chan went with Auntie to the hospital!"

"Asshole." Sakura 'humph'-ed her nose away from Sasuke. Great. "Naruto, he won't sing the special song to me to make me feel better."

"Whaaat?" Naruto gasped as he looked at Sasuke in shock. "How can you _not _sing the song to Sakura-chan, you bastard! You're giving God the right to kill kittens!" Ichigo's ears perked at his species' name. "Sakura-chan, allow _moi _to entertain you while Sasuke-bastard has made you bedridden."

"Yay!" Sakura clapped like a child.

"'Bout time someone sang this song," Ino chipped in as she cross her legs, sending a glance at Kiba and Shika. "Why not assist Uzumaki, boys?"

"So troublesome..." Shikamaru rolled his eyes as he grabbed Sakura's empty trashbucket, flipping it over and settle it inbetween his thighs. He tapped his fingers in the bottom to test the beat before looking at Kiba with the look. "You do the noise this time."

Kiba sighed and sat on the floor. He pressed his teeth together and used his tongue to guide his voice into making 'tss, tss, tss' like a little rattle. He slapped his knees as Shikamaru becan to make a drum beat.

Hinata giggled before using a high pitched tune. "Dodododo! Dodo do! Dododo! Dodo do!"

Sakura smiled bigger as she watched Naruto rocked his hips from side to side, lifting his fists into the air as his lips puckered with an oh-so-serious expression on his face as he winked at Hinata, causing Ino and Sakura to giggle when Sasuke rolled his eyes.

_"Shake, shake, shake Senora,_

_Shake your bodyline!_

_Shake, shake, shake Senora_

_Shake it all the time!"_

Sakura began clapping as Hinata scurried over to join the girls on the bed while Sasuke stood there with his arms crossed with no interest. Naruto purred evil as he hopped his way over to his best friend and aimed a pelvic thrust at him.

_"Work, work, work Senora!_

_Work your bodyline!_

_Work, work, work Senora_

_Work it all the time!"_

Sasuke glared at his friend and threatened to kick his friend where the sun doesn't shine; causing the blond man to twirl away a few feet before waving his fingers to the lady audience.

_"My girl's name is Senora,_

_I tell you friends that I adore her!_

_And when she dances- Oh brother!_

_She's a hurricane in all kinds of weather!"_

The girls couldn't help but sing along with the dancing fool, who bopped his hip with Sasuke's rear, and caused the icecube man to try and thrash out with the move he pulled.

_"Jump in the line!_

_Rock your body on time!"_

Naruto sprang into a superstar pose. _"Okay! I believe you!"_

_"Jump in the line!_

_Rock your body on time._

_Okay! I believe you!_

_Jump in the line..."_

Sasuke rolled his eyes again and tried to leave the room. He kept his back to everyone of his friends until two hands grabbed the back of Sasuke's shirt and pulled him back; having that said, Sasuke turned to see Sakura scurry out of her bed, in her pajamas, and tugged on the hem of his shirt.

"Dance with us, Sasuke-kun! It's fun," Sakura smiled up to him with that smile that made Sasuke's heart jump. "Don't be a sourpuss, okay?"

"You should be in bed," Sasuke grumbled out, facing Sakura's way as Naruto was doing the cha-cha with Hinata and Ino danced by herself in the a circle.

"Dance with me." Sakura tugged a bit harder on his shirt, her other hand pressed onto his chest and pat him eagarly. "Dance with _me, _Sasuke-kun!"

Now that, my dear readers, set Sasuke's chest into a burning fire of adoration for Sakura. He would never tell anyone about these kinds of feelings he gets around this girl, nor he would reject her request when she spoke like that. He sighed silently and grabbed Sakura's wrist gently and pulled her into their small crowd of friends.

Damn, it was hard for Uchiha Sasuke to displease this girl.

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- Not much of a pleasing chapter, I know ono' I'm sorry about that. I have been very busy lately with schooling and work so this is all I can make for you guys for now D: I'm very sorry but I hope you all can understand that my role as a hardworking student and a employee of a nationwide company can easily take my freetime in a snap. I would like to thank you all who still read this chapter and I promise that...there is a big surprise coming your way C;

Another thing I would like to point out is that I will be having two new stories coming into the world before the American Thanksgiving comes my way (which would be in Novemeber o3o) If you enjoy either of my OTP stories, I would like to recommend that you would take a little peek at the new ones when they come out C; You don't have to read them at the same time and stress yourself out of reading two stories; I promise that either stories won't be going anywhere!

SONG USED FOR THIS CHAPTER-

Jump in the Line by _Harry Belafonte- _My father would sing this to me when I was very little and ill ;D I have good memories with this song and my father growing up. The movie, Beetlejuice, used his song and other songs my father would make me sing along with as a toddler and we still do it today- despite I'm almost in my twenties and he's...old xD Aah, I hope all of you will enjoy your time by looking up this song and start dancing along in your room with it. I like to share a little memory with you guys and hope you will enjoy it.

Remember that Kitty likes those things that make her a happy fuzzball and hope you will have a great day!


	8. Chapter 8

Heya dudes! C; How is everyone doing, ne? Kitty is taking the time to update Sing To Me, Baby for you guys; because I know this story is starting to get to the good part ewe... I'm not saying what so you guys will probably have to read the next few chapters to find out whaaaat~! Because Kitty is playing hard to get with information! ;D -sees pitchfork- I SEE YOU, YOU BOOGER!

Remember that my two new stories are coming your guys' way! A new AU NaruHina and another AU SasuSaku (wooooot) for both ends of the bargain. I'm still new with the NaruHinaness, even though it was my first fanfic on here, I feel that I'm coming to understand how to properly put NaruHina into place C; Even though the world knows that I am all about SasuSakuness -drools- Hue is gonna have to slap me for this! I'm just craving SasuSakuness yet my NaruHinaness braincells are working too. Get ready for the surprise x3

REPLIES TO REVIEWS (that needs Kitty's answers)-

Strawberrys000- I would gladly assist your friend in her writer's block C; I have checked it out briefly whenever I had breaktime at work, and I can only suggest that your friend would watch movies and listen to music (which is what I do with Sing To Me, Baby a lot xD). I didn't have time to leave a Review as much as I wanted to, but please do tell your friend about this and I wish them the best of luck ;3 I apologize that I didn't have the time to leave a message like I wanted to.

GhostChild13- -legasp- I MADE YOUR DAY BETTER? QwQ Holy noodles, I'm a fuzzbally Kitty right now! ;D And you haz foreshadowed already~? Huuu, now I'm curious if you've read my mind already e3e But that's okay ;D Thank you very much and I wish you a very good day! Please promise Kitty that you will be doing your homework before you play; education is very important and I dun wanna think that you didn't do your homework all because of me! ;A; Okie dokie? Dun scare Kitty? Danke! ewe

harusaki-tsukiko- Yeaaaah, I get that a lot xD I'm more familiar with the culture and history of Japan and some other Asian countries, but no, I do not speak Japanese all that well. And I know for a fact, that if I were to try and learn Japanese anyhow...I'd go nuts (comes from the history of learning German at a very young age and having temper tantrums) xD But thank you for the kind comment of thinking so anyway, and I'm very glad to take your idea for Japanese music. Enjoy the chapter and have a very good day, okay? ;w; My search for Japanese translations begin!

xXLindy-ChanXx831- Oh hi there, Lindy-chan! ;D or...Wendy? owo' I dunno which, but thank you for the kind comment ;D Lawl. I know how you wish it was boyfriend but uwu...yeah, Kitty isn't letting that happen TOO easily~ -gets mauled by chair- Anyhoo, I hope you will continue to enjoy this fanfiction and I will be hearing from you soon? ;D Have a nice day, okay?

Remember that Kitty likes Reviews, Follows, Favorite or whatever makes your day better. Kitty loves all of youz and such Cx Please be patient with everything, okay? Kitty will be more then happy to update more chapters and new stories to all who wait...-sees reader with pitchfork again- I'M ON TO YOU!

=xxx=

**Age Sixteen, Fall**

_Uchiha Sasuke sat on the chair in the corner of the partyroom while everyone else was partying on the dancefloor. Yamanaka Ino's birthday party was today and she was able to save enough money from her father to rent a party room with all the works: discoball, snacks, drinks, lazer pointers, glowsticks and everything in between. And here he was, the most hottest guy in high school at this point, was sitting in the back of the room and pouting like a three year-old who wants to go home. He hated parties the most, especially with people involved (what party doesn't have people again?); the only reason he came to the party was for the fact that this would be the first party Sakura would attend in a long while -counting that she was in the hospital most of the time and Ino took the job of canceling her birthday party until Sakura was allowed to be out._

_That was the only reason why Sasuke would be here._

_And there she was, standing next to the birthday girl who was dressed in a very sparkly dress; white with silvery glitter that Chi made all by herself for her little girl, and Sakura was given Ino's dress of a peach color and a black ribbon that wrapped around her waist in a giant bow in the back. Ino decorated Sakura's short hair in a black ribbon in the back to make her even more cute then usual... Sasuke didn't like how the male classmates complimented her outfit._

_Speaking of which, Sasuke eyed a lowlife teenager walk up to Sakura and whisper something into her ear that made her giggle. He didn't know who it was, but that wasn't stopping the Uchiha to spring to his feet and walk up behind the man and tap his shoulder._

_"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelled over the loud music, passing the stanger to hug Sasuke. "I thought you left already!"_

_Sasuke's 'Hn' drowned in the music as he glared at the strange teenage man into nearly pissing his pants. "Are you doing alright? Have you been drinking water?"_

_"Uh-huh, Ino made sure of that!" Sakura smiled. "I just got out of the bathroom a few minutes ago, so Ino-chan asked me to sing for her birthday!"_

_Sasuke looked at Ino, who was pushing the teenage boy away from Sasuke's sight. She was smiling at him evily and flirtaciously when she came back and linked arms with Sakuras'. "She's gonna sing me a song, Sasuke! Isn't that sweet of her?"_

_"But you said you wanted-" Sakura tried to talk._

_"Oh hush and save that voice for the stage, okay?" Ino winked as she pulled Sakura away from Sasuke's side and led to the DJ station to talk to the man who controlled the music._

_Sasuke watched -while ignoring the girl's request for a dance many times- as Ino pulled Sakura onto the stage as the music died down as she took the microphone from the polite DJ. Sakura didn't look stagefright at all as Ino called for everyone's attention in a very royal-tone._

_"Hey, hey! Over here, everyone!" Ino spoke loud into the microphone, ignoring the DJ's advice to stay a little quiet. "Alrighty, my dear friend, Haruno Sakura, the girl who has been like a sister to me through all these years has agreed to sing me a song for my Sweet Sixteen, so give her all your attention!" She heard some catcalls, noting how Sasuke's head turned for only a moment to see if he could find the one who did it. "Okay, now enjoy the entertainment of the amazing Haruno Sakura!" She passed the microphone to her best friend and hugged her before getting off the stage._

_Sakura swallowed before waving to the crowd after their polite applause. "Thanks, you guys. Ino-chan is the greatest friend any girl could have in a lifetime and I am truly honored to be performing for her birthday party."_

_Sasuke smirked as she giggled cutely. "Anyway, this song was written by me as a birthday present to Ino. I think this song fits her personality on how fiesty and yet oh-so-sweet in life." She pointed to the DJ, who nodded and pressed the 'Play' button. "This is for my sweet Ino-chan! Happy birthday, baby!"_

_A steady beat began as the lights dimmed to strobe-lighting of many bright neon colors. Teenagers awed as they tried to find a partner for this dance; while Sasuke stood there to watch Sakura tap her sandaled foot on the floor before pressing the microphone to her lips, smiling to the crowd who cheered at the sound of her angelic voice of a soprano._

_"Got an attitude,_

_Bitch, what you gonna do?_

_'Cause babe, if it was you,_

_You'd do the same thing too!_

_If you could own these shoes,_

_Then you could walk my walk,_

_That shit you could not talk!"_

_A sudden surprise to Sasuke's nerves as Sakura's hips shot out to the side, strutting a __**very **__attractive move while her graceful hand ran through her pink locks. Sakura's expression was seriously sexy, catching all eyes of the crowd when her emerald eyes literally glowed with excitement that was contagious._

_"It's not up to me_

_I'm just that sexy!"_

_Ino's high-pitch cry echoed over the loud applause of the party-attenders, screaming Sakura's name and whistles as she began her movements of her arms to her hips as she tapped to the 'Dodo dodododo dodo'._

_"I-I-I I'm just that sexy..!_

_I'm not an ego strip,_

_Bitch, what'cha gonna do?_

_I just don't give a shit!_

_Know you're gonna lose._

_Either way you move,_

_You wish you could walk my walk._

_I'm the one that can't be stopped!"_

_Sakura walked across the stage like Kushina would on the catwalk, causing Sasuke's throat to tighten and suddenly felt hot and sweaty. He uncrossed his arms and stuffed his sweaty palms into his pant pockets._

_"It's not up to me,_

_I'm just that sexy!_

_All your boyfriends want to feel me_

_And your girlfriends want to kiss me_

_And you think I just got lucky._

_It's not up to me,_

_I'm just that sexy!"_

_The crowd was dancing around Sasuke's still form, watching every move as Sakura dipped her knees with her peach-dress bouncing as she posed seductively. Sudden pressure built into Sasuke's sinuses as he bit his lip with the birthday girl approaching as she danced._

_"So, Sasuke-kun," Ino danced around him in a twirl, "what do you think of Sakura's birthday gift to me? Pretty amazing, ne?"_

_"Hn..." Sasuke didn't take his eyes off of Sakura as she continued singing. _

_"You know...if Sakura was to sing for your birthday," Ino smiled evily, "it would be like Marylin Monroe singing to the President."_

_Sasuke made a face when the pressure in his nose built up._

_"And she could wear an outfit thats easy to get out of-"_

_Sasuke's nose started bleeding as he took off for the restroom, leaving Yamanaka Ino laughing joyously; knowing now that she had another thing to bully Uchiha Sasuke with all of their dear friends._

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Eight- Thankful For...

**Thanksgiving**

Sakura blew her nose in her glamorous bathroom at the Uchiha mansion; making a funny noise that reminded her of a snorting pig. Ha, if only Ino was here at the moment to tease her dearest friend that she was imitating her language of the piggyworld. The the image of Ino fuming at her in the Salon-like bathroom while she was admiring herself in Sakura's pretty mirror.

She sniffled as she inspected the color of her boogers, seeing green colors to tell her that she was still sick. She threw the dirty tissue into the trashbucket and grabbed another tissue to blow again; doing so to make another funny noise that reminded Sakura again of piggies. She suddenly began giggling with the tissue still held onto her face. She began laughing as she wiped her nose.

"What is so funny?" a masculine voice caught her attention from behind. She wirled around in her bathrob to see Sasuke leaning against the doorway just watching her with a calm expression.

Sakura smiled as she pointed to her nose. "When I blow my nose, I think of Ino-chan and her piggyness." She coughed lightly into her sleeve. "Goodmorning, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke was still in his own pajamas himself, putting on a sweatshirt since he slept shirtless before leaving his bedroom. He has taken the time home from school carefully in taking care of Sakura since the fever-scare left Sasuke in a irritated state; having Naruto force him to go home after school before break so he didn't screw up the guitar notes they were practicing. He noticed, just recently, the more time Sasuke spends at the household, Ichigo and his siblings treat him more better since they see him taking care of Sakura and keeping her company. Maybe Ichigo isn't the spawn of the Devil, but rather a descendant.

"Goodmorning," Sasuke tilted his chin downward in a little nod. Sakura smiled at his response before yawning. "How is your headache?"

"Much more tolerable," Sakura mewed as she saw Ichigo sprint from under Sasuke's legs into the bathroom, meowing his arrival as he scurried over to the open shower stall. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Some."

"That's not good; go back to bed!" Sakura twitched as she pointed out the door. "Teenagers need about nine-to-ten hours of sleep each night!"

Sasuke didn't leave Sakura's bathroom. On the odd note, Sasuke got off from leaning on the doorframe and strode into the bathroom like he owned the place -even though he did technically own the property- and stood inches away from Sakura's standing form. He unfolded one of his crossed arms and pressed his fingers onto Sakura's cheekbones, gently sliding his fingers on her soft skin to make her eyes widen.

"Sasuke-kun, w-what are you doing?" Sakura's eye twitched under the touch as her cheeks tinted a little pink.

"Checking your fever," Sasuke said cooly. "Your face is getting red there, so I thought I should check it." Sakura was warned with something like this. Ooh, yes she was warned about this!

_"Sakura, baby, now listen to me," Mikoto held Sakura's fevered face as she woke up from her nap. She rubbed the purple-ish moons under her eyes to get her attention. "I'm going to tell you an important lesson that is going to save our side of the bargain."_

_"Huh..? Auntie, what are you talking about?" Sakura rubbed her eyes tiredly. _

_"Pssh shh! Before the boys wake up," Mikoto covered Sakura's mouth. "Whatever happens, do not let Sasuke use the 'Fever Feeler' move on you, okay?"_

_"...wut?" Sakura shut her eyes._

_"The 'Fever Feeler' move is an ancient lesson that was invented by Fugaku's great-greatgrandfather," Mikoto started in a hushed voice, "it is when the male will approach the female in her weakest state -mostly colds like this one- and allows himself to touch her face verrry gently."_

_Sakura sniffed and slowly nodded. "Yeah, and?"_

_"That is what Fugaku used on me," Mikoto looked into space with a serious expression, "back in High School when I punished his ass for stealing my favorite panties. I had bad allergies back then and Fugaku used that move to have me forgive himm and we made out for hours."_

_"Didn't need to know that, Auntie..."_

_"Anyway, what I am trying to say is, since you're getting better now, I think Sasu-chan will use it on you." Mikoto sighed. "My little man is finally using the old flirting trick... he's growing up!"_

_Sakura noticed how Mikoto was getting teary eyed. "Auntie, don't cry! I won't fall for it!"_

_"That's my girl..."_

And now here she was, having the 'Fever Feeler' situation firsthand. Honestly, Sakura thought Mikoto was joking about this, but now...she owed her Auntie a big breakfast pretty soon. She will have to ask Uncle Minato for his recipe book when he comes over today. She figured she should slap Sasuke's hand away, tell him that he needs to leave, but it just _felt sooo good _having Sasuke pet her face like this! She could purr if it was part of the plan... damn it. Why do Uchihas have to have such a gentle touch, ne?

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura swallowed. "Sasuke-kun, I-"

"_Nyaaaa!_" Ichigo's meow pierced her ears as she heard her shower turn on. She turned her head out of Sasuke's touch to see Ichigo clinging his paws to the nob of the cold water and getting wet by the sprinkles of water hit his fur. Poor Sakura remembered that Ichigo loved the water and enjoyed it most when Sakura would come home so he could play in Sakura's awesome bathroom.

"Ichigo-chan, that's a no-no!" Sakura shrieked as she shuffled her slipper across the tiled floor to the shower; reaching in to pull Ichigo out from the shower. "Bad boy!"

Sasuke watched with an angry glare set on Ichigo's dripping face as Sakura hugged him like a stuffed animal, mumbling how Ichigo wasn't going to get ham treats for a week as the cat gave the look back to him. Screw the descendant of the Devil, Ichigo was the Devil in feline form! Ruining the chance to sweep Sakura off her feet with a gentle touch of his hand on her cheek like a concerned boyfriend... Scratch that part. _Soon-to-be boyfriend..._ Maybe?

Sasuke rolled his eyes slowly. "Sakura, don't take too long to get ready, alright? I'm going back to bed for a while."

"Okay, Sasuke-k- Ichigo, get back here!" Sakura growled as Ichigo sprang form her arms and back into the shower, leaving the Uchiha to roll his eyes again and leave the bathroom by closing the door behind him.

Sakura's head snapped up by the clicking of the bathroom door closing. _'Wait... Sasuke-kun left?' _She turned her head to see the crush of her life not there. Her face went beat red as she slapped her own cheeks, looking to see her own reflection in the shower stall to remind her of a tomato with freakin' mutated pink roots! What the hell just happened? Wasn't Sasuke _flirting _with her just a moment before Ichigo played fishy in her shower?

"Nya?" Ichigo shaked his whole body like a canine as he bit the rope of Sakura's bathrobe, trying to pull her. His big green eyes looked up to his masters', silently telling her to forget about the duck-butt player and get ready for the Thanksgiving party.

"Ichigo..." Sakura's eye twitched as she sighed. "Whats' the point of all this, ne?" She started to pull off her robe and slip her pajamas off to enter the cold shower she desperately needed.

Sasuke entered the kitchen of his household to find his mother flipping through a cookbook with a package of sticky note, marking with little strips for Minato to start working on when he arrives here with his family. Mikoto looked up from her search to smile at her youngest son.

"Hey, honey," Mikoto smiled sweetly. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"I came to get that tea that helps you sleep." Sasuke strolled to the cabinet to look through the packets of teabags. He found the most bitter flavor he could get for his liking and went to the teapot on the stove.

"Did you check on Saku-chan this morning? I bet you did, my little man," Mikoto snickered evil as she rest her chin on her knuckles, watching how her son's shoulders tensed for the slightest bit before pouring the boiling water into a mug. "Honey, I think you should really consider doing something special for Saku-chan."

"What makes you think I haven't done so already?"

Mikoto's chair screeched the tiled floor as she stood up quickly with a glowing face. _"Whaaat? _Why haven't you told me?" She scurried over to force Sasuke to turn around to try and fix his hair to look less messy. "You gotta look your best, okay?"

"Why are you messing with my hair when I'm trying to go back to sleep, Mother?" Sasuke drawled tiredly as he sipped the burning drink. "It's none of your business anyway."

"Like hell it's none of my business!" Mikoto stomped her foot on the floor. She watched as Sasuke chugged the rest of the tea as she spoke freely of her own thoughts. "If I want to have grandchildren, I would like to know if you're going to do it properly."

Sasuke choked the last mouthful of the steaming tea, spitting it into the sink as he coughed wetly with his hand on his throat to ease the soreness. "Mother!"

"What?" Mikoto rolled her eyes. "You're almost an adult and you're graduating this year. I'd like to know that my baby boy will be taken care of by someone right and not like, I dunno- a possible hooker or a chick who thinks she's all that during our family reunion? I would not stand for that, Sasu-chan!"

"Mikoto, leave the poor kid alone," Fugaku's groggy voice caught both of the people's attention as he entered the kitchen with Momma Cat hanging on his arm like a stuffed toy. He yawned loudly as he took Sasuke's mug and went to rinse it out for his tea. "Let him take his time with...whatever he's trying to do."

"Hn!" Mikoto's lip twitched as she took Momma Cat out of Fugaku's lazy hold, stroking the older cat's head gently as she mewled to her proper master. "Did you suggest the idea of Sasu-chan using the 'Fever Feeler' on Saku-chan, Fuga-boo?"

Fugaku didn't show any emotions as he grumbled at his wife's accusation. "You're worrying that he will get kicked in a sack, dear?"

Sasuke sighed as he sat on the chair his mother was sitting in moments ago, knowing fully well that his mom would force him to sit and listen to this conversation. He was going to wait for the tea to kick in before he could slip through the exit and make a run for it. "Fugaku, don't let me think of something like that. You know fully well that this needs to be discussed!"

"Mikoto, I love you more then life itself," Fugaku sighed again as he took a quick sip of his tea with caffeine, "but maybe you should save this for your lady talk with Kushina, ne?"

"My _lady talk?" _Mikoto laughed her warning laugh; may be sweet and sugary on the inside, but we all know she was getting her temper to boil. Fugaku and Sasuke tensed at the same time now. "Fugaku...you do want our children to be successful in relationships, right? You know _we_ will not stand for Itachi and Sasuke to hire prostitutes imported from Europe, or something!"

"Ehh, European women are not all that-"

"Uchiha Fugaku, I will make your groin hurt so bad that you will go crying to your momma!" Mikoto hissed with Momma Cat glaring at Fugaku's unfinished sentence, looking straight into the man's soul as his youngest offspring watched in horror. Mikoto's pretty lips pouted as she looked over her shoulder to her son. "Sasu-chan, weren't you suppose to be sleeping right now? Get in your room!"

Sasuke surely wasn't going to take off from his mother's demand at this point now; running out of the room while he left his father to defend for himself.

=xxx=

Sakura was sitting in the livingroom with Hinata on the couch, petting Ichigo and one of his sisters that cuddled themselves onto the two girls' laps. Hinata was flipping through her iPod shuffle in her white-knitted sweater and dark grey skinnyjeans until she found a good enough song that she felt comfortable to hum while she shared an earbud with her pink haired friend who was wearing a dark green sweater and black skinnyjeans.

Sakura's eyes bugged excitedly as she giggled to Hinata who nodded shyly. She picked up Ichigo and bounced him around to make him look like he was dancing; taking his white paws to make him 'raise the roof' a few times as she sang in a childish attempt of a male's voice.

_"Girl, look at dat bodeh,_

_Girl, look at dat bodeh,_

_Girl, look at dat bodeh-_

_I-I-I work ouuut!"_

Hinata giggled adorably as she picked up Ichigo's sister, a dark tabby with a cute pink nose like his brother, as she made her little upper body to shake to the beat of the music.

_"When I walk on the spot,_

_This is what I see:_

_Ev'body stop and staring at me!_

_I got a passion in mah pants_

_And I ain't afraid to show it_

_Show it, show it, show it..."_

Our favorite blond comedian burst from behind the sofa, pumping his fists into the air as the girls laughed at how he managed to wrinkle his orange sweater that his mother forced him to wear to have the collar wrapped around the crown of his head as he swirled his hips in a circular motion of his puckered lips.

_"I'm sexy and I know it!"_

Naruto continued to dance like a fool as he pulled Hinata off of the couch to dance around her. She blushed and hugged the kitten closer to her body as Naruto winked flirty-like, continuing to sing the inappropriate song outloud as Sakura remained of the couch to watch the performance take fold, not noticing Kushina walking in with a plate of cheesy crackers and turkey bites. The redhead's jaw dropped at the sight of her son trying to grind up to the way-too innocent girl (even though she is aware of what these two do behind closed doors) and literally slammed the expensive plate on the wooden table.

"UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

Sakura didn't dare to look at her other auntie's angry face as Naruto's tanned cheeks lost all their color and Hinata cried out in fright. She watched as Kushina stomped over and yanked Hinata, who was still holding Ichigo's sister, out of Naruto's grip.

"Ma, I wasn't doing anything bad!" Naruto defended weakly as he pulled his sweater collar down.

"NOT IN THAT SWEATER, YOU DON'T!" Kushina growled like an angered cat as she pet Hinata's head. "Hinata, my dear daughter-in-law, why must my perverted son aim his babymaker at you at a family friend's house? I swear, it is all Minato's fault for making him a boy!"

"A-A-Ano... U-Uh-" Poor Hinata passed out in Kushina's arms.

"Ma! You scared my girlfriend again with the naughty talk!" Naruto groaned as he pulled the unconcious young woman out of his mother's arms and layed her down on the couch across from Sakura's spot. "Hinata-chaaan, wake up! Ma brought crackers."

Sakura giggled as Kushina grumbled for her mistake of scaring the poor girl, walking over and sit by Sakura's side to pinch her cheeks. "Hows' my favorite pinky doing? Your cheeks are still stained with fever."

"I'm doing okay, Auntie," Sakura smiled sweetly. "I still have a little fever, but it's getting much better."

"Good! 'Cause Chi-chan has finally finished the you-know-what," Kushina purred as she pinched her own red hair. "We will have to see how it looks for you soon, okay?"

"What'cha talking about, Ma?" Naruto intrupted his mother's conversation with his close friend, causing the redhead woman to growl at him to stay back. "D-don't look at me like that, Ma. I'm not doing anything!"

"Sure you're not..." Kushina rolled her eyes and changed her attention to the new figure that has entered the livingroom, smiling cheekly as she waved. "Sasu-chan! You look fancy today."

"Hn," Sasuke muttered. He was forced by his mother to wear a white dress-shirt and dark pants, since he was not the kind to wear festive sweaters like Naruto was forced to with his parents. He bowed his head in hello to the Uzumaki woman before looking over to the passed out Hyuuga with his dobe-of-a-friend fanning her with his orange sleeve. "What happened here?"

"Oh, nothing important," Kushina mewed as she sprang from her spot. "Sit here with Saku-chan, I'm going to check on Minato-kun's cooking and I don't want Saku-chan to be lonely!" She hurried off out the door to leave Sasuke confused and Sakura silent.

Sakura scratched Ichigo's belly as he rolled onto his back for the gesture, watching as Sasuke sat down on the couch casually and threw his arm on the back, near Sakura's back as he watched Hinata stir from her fainting spell. Her pink cheeks burned a little deeper as she felt a twist in her stomach of nausea of Sasuke's simple move of getting just a tad closer to her. Damn the Uchiha flirts! Ichigo's meowing intrupted all her troubles of the situation as she giggled to her little feline companion.

Sasuke looked down to Sakura as she kissed Ichigo's little nose and played with his paws. He wasn't going to start a conversation with her but rather just sit and observe the pink haired girl as she just sat there like a good girl she was, obeying Mikoto's orders of staying relaxed as she recovered from her nasty cold that caused her lungs to bleed a week ago -from when he would stay up all night, even when he had school the next day, to make sure she didn't work herself up in her sleep. He slept another hour or two before Mikoto came storming in and telling him to get dressed before the Uzumakis' got here, taking the biggest deal to dress appropriate (not joining the sweater club, thats' for sure) for the Thanksgiving dinner that Minato was putting blood, sweat and tears into each course.

"Oi, Teme! Are you excited for the concert next week?" Naruto caught the icecube's attention as the blond man was cuddling Hinata. "Is Itachi going to make it?"

"Not this time," Sasuke answered cooly, shrugging his shoulders lightly and had only touched Sakura's back head. "He is touring in Vietnam for another week and has to go to China right afterwards. He might make it back until New Years."

"Will we be allowed to call them before dinner?" Sakura chirped in as she placed Ichigo on her lap. "The time difference isn't all that bad, is it?"

Sasuke reached to his backpocket to pull out his cellphone. He dialed a number on speed dial before tossing it to Sakura, who caught it with a confused expression as she pulled it to her ear. She listened to the ringing before a _'clunk' _noise was heard and a muffled voice came into the reciever.

"Hello..?" a tired voice yawned, brightening Sakura's green eyes.

"ONII-SAMA!" Sakura cried out with a laugh, making Hinata jump in surprise and Naruto to be confused. "SASORI-NIISAMA, HELLO!"

"...Sakura, I can't hear out of my ear," Sasori groaned. "What did you need?"

"Oh, Sasuke-kun dialed the phone for me," Sakura said casually before realizing what Sasuke actually did: calling Sasori's cellphone while he was sleeping from a long night of performing with Sakura's loud voice to cause a headache. "Nii-sama! I'm sorry about that!" She started to hit Sasuke's arm with her free hand while the Uchiha just snickered evil with a smirk planted on his face.

"It's okay," Sasori yawned. "Happy Thanksgiving, by the way."

"Did you call Baa-chan yet?"

"I called her yesterday to wish her a good holiday at the Senior Cabin," Sasori answered calmly. "I heard that she won a dancing competition and got coupons for her next shopping spree at the mall. I'm going to have to take her to that... That makes me happy for sure."

Sakura giggled. "When will you be home, Nii-sama? I want to see your new apartment."

"Not for another few months, I'm afraid. We're getting a lot of offers to do another concert in the past cities we've been in."

"Oh, I see..." The sound of disappointment and sadness was glued to Sakura's face as Sasuke watched her talk to her cousin that served as a older brother to the ill girl; watching her force a smile into the phone as she talked about the children at the hospital and some other activites, asking a few questions before she pouted adorably at the phone. "Okay, I'll talk to you later, Nii-sama. Goodnight and rest well, okay? Byebye!" Sakura clipped the phone shut and held it out to Sasuke with a polite smile on her face.

"What did he say?" Sasuke asked as he took the phone back.

"He and Itachi-niisama will be home with the band a bit after New Years, so I really don't know when exactly they will be home," Sakura hooked her pinky fingers together, obviously upset that her cousin wouldn't be home intime for Christmas.

Sasuke wasn't too happy with the reaction he got from her close cousin, and was willing to do whatever to change that. He opened his mouth to say something until Mikoto announced herself in the living room by clapping her hands and making an 'Aah' cooing noise with Kushina following her.

"Dinner is almost ready! Come to the table ladies; boys, help Minato and Fugaku with the plates."

Now, if I haven't explained properly to you dear readers, Minato is a professional chef at his own restaurant that is in downtown Kyoto. He owns the popular fine-dining of a fancy place he named Ninja, after his childhood stories of himself pretending to be a ninja boy, saving the young girl in his neighborhood named Kushina from falling leaves in the fall: and was soon passed on to his own son, Naruto, to pretend that he was a hero. Sweet, sure. But Kushina did wish that her husband thought of a more manly, or foreign name for his restaurant instead of a childish nickname that his parents gave him. Anyway, Minato makes lots of money by cooking for his customers and even has done little performances of cooking fish and preparing their meals. Kushina can not cook to save her life and usually leaves all the cooking to her husband to feed her child and herself when she comes home from her model shoots.

For Thanksgiving, however, Mikoto has requested for Minato to cook a traditional meal for the holiday of anything you could think of, hoping to fill everyone's stomach for the next few weeks with filling food and desert that will surely make people sick. All in the goodness of having a good holiday without her oldest son (sort of a punishment for missing Minato's cooking, of course; nothing mean). She has even bought a good brand of wine for the adults for the occasion. Hinata and Sakura sat next to each other on the large dinner table, chatting happily as some of the kittens sat on their feets and cuddled for a nibble of meat from their plates; Naruto and Sasuke sat across from them and had Kushina and Mikoto sit there as well while the men sat on the end of the tables.

Sasuke watched carefully as Sakura giggled at a joke Hinata came up with. He wasn't listening to whatever the Hyuuga said, but noticed how Naruto laughed along; probably should join in with a simple nod before stabbing his utensil on his plate.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura caught his attention so easily.

"Hn?" Sasuke looked at her green eyes, just drowning easily in the smile she offered him.

"Uhm...you're using your spoon to get your turkey," Sakura pointed with her finger for him to look to see that he was failing to pierce the meat with a spoon. He twitched as the pink haired woman giggled as he dropped his spoon to replace it with a proper fork. "Are you feeling okay, Sasuke-kun?"

"I'm fine," Sasuke muttered as he stuffed his face with turkey, eating the dead bird into mush before he swallowed it. He looked over to see Naruto already helping himself to a second plate; watching how elegantly his mother was eating compared to her blond son that ate like he's never seen food before. Sakura was picking at her carrots as Hinata urged her to eat her nutritions that the poor girl needed to grow better curves- which caused the pink haired teen to blush like a tomato and hide her face behind her sweater sleeve.

"H-Hinata-_chaaan_! Stop saying stuff l-like that," Sakura rolled her eyes childishly. "I'm not meant to have that stuff, got it?" She was whispering as quiet as she could to her dear friend, trying to hide their conversation from the boys. Sadly, it was as clear as day to Sasuke's keen ears. Probably not to the dobey boy who was filling his face with as much mash potatos he could fit into his mouth, but that didn't matter to Sasuke.

Hinata pressed her painted fingers to Sakura's fevered cheekbones. "It's okay, S-Sakura-chan." Was Hinata teasing Sakura for something? Sasuke raised a brow as Sakura sighed and ate her turkey, complimenting to Minato after she swallowed her piece.

The meal, to Sasuke, was a blur to him. He was only paying attention to how Sakura was reacting to all of the activites during the mealtime; how she commented on a story Kushina was telling, or how Fugaku had an emotional reaction to Mikoto's teasing jokes about him. Sasuke would stiffen lightly whenever Sakura coughed into her napkin, thinking she would cough up blood at any time; or even when she would sniffle, Sasuke would be the first to look Sakura's way. Afterwards, Mikoto announced that the adults will be playing their private game down in the basement while the teenagers could do whatever they wished as long as it was quiet (meaning that there was wine involved), and had the adults leave the room while the teenagers looked at each other.

"So now what?" Sakura spoke first after they settled the food in their systems.

"How 'bout a movie, ne?" Naruto suggested with his signature toothy grin. "I'll pick!"

"No way," Sakura glared at him. "Last time you picked out a movie, it turned out to be porn. No way in hell am I going to get cornered into that again." She watched as the Uzumaki groaned for her to bring up the oopsy-I-chosed-a-porn-movie situation before glancing at the all too quiet Uchiha son. "Sasuke-kun, why don't you pick out something this time?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura with his arms crossed, taking a moment to grunt lowly before getting up from his chair and leave the diningroom. Hinata blinked confusingly until Sakura took her hand and led her out to go to the livingroom to find Sasuke digging in the cabinets. Naruto scrambled after he saw that he was left alone in, finding Hinata's back to tackle and pull her into his lap onto the sofa; cuddling instantly when Sasuke pulled out the all-time movie: _Insidious. _

The blond boy's eyes sparkled. "Aaah yeah! That's my boy!"

"Shut up, Dobe," Sasuke rolled his eyes as he set the DVD player to turn on. He heard Hinata whimper lightly at the sight of the demonic child in the front cover, seeing in the side of his eyesight that Naruto was using this excuse to comfort his girlfriend. He turned 'Play' for the movie to begin before sitting on the cushion next to Sakura, who was sitting with her knees to her chest. "How are you feeling?"

"Just fine, Sasuke-kun," Sakura giggled lightly, poking his shoulder. "Stop worrying. It's the holidays, so just sit and relax."

_'Like hell I will relax,' _Sasuke rolled his eyes, causing her to giggle more as if she read his mind so easily. He once again planned on using the yawn-and-stretch move -since the 'Fever Feeler' proved a little worthess early this morning- he took the moment to make the face he usually does before he yawns like normal; arching his back first with a scrunched up face and reach his arms behind his head. He rest his whole arm behind Sakura's back casually and gripped to the cushion pillow, looking to Naruto's side of the couch to get an approving smile that just made Naruto look more like an idiot.

Hinata looked over to Sakura, noticing how the pink haired cutie wasn't totally aware of where Sasuke's arm is, causing the shy girl to make a noise for the emerald gems to meet hers'. _'Don't mess this up, Sakura-neechan! Kushina and Mikoto are downstairs.'_

Sakura blinked at the message Hinata sent. She took the moment when the mother in the movie stopped playing her piano to glance behind her shoulder to see Sasuke's strong arm just inches away from her skin. Panicking, mostly because she has no idea what to do, she looked back to Hinata. _'What the hell!'_

Hinata puckered her lips before looking at Naruto. "N-Naruto-kun...is anything going to pop out now? I don't w-want to see it!" She reached up to cling to Naruto's sweater and whimper with those adoring big eyes. "I-I'm scared!"

Naruto's face instantly went red. "Hinata-chaaan, I wouldn't let anything scare ya!" The blond boy Sakura grew up with suddenly showed actions that she was familiar that the kid even had; acting all giddy and shy around his girlfriend in the presence of his two other friends. It took a moment for Sakura to realise what Hinata was trying to suggest to her.

_Flirt._

Sakura swallowed. She didn't know how to flirt! Since when was flirting part of the plan, huh? Sakura's heart thumped once in her chest, minding that she had to stay calm with her cold bothering her infections; letting her mind race with what she could possibly play with the Uchiha icecube, think as hard as she could to perform something when he already knows that she wasn't afraid of horror movies.

_'Hold on a moment...'_ Sakura's lightbulb clicked on as she let her train of thought lead to the nightmare she have been having these past few weeks, hiding it from Sasuke whenever she would wake up crying.

_Sakura opened her eyes in the hospital bed, looking around to see that she was in her own hospital room back in downtown Kyoto, where Mikoto would be coming in at any moment to check up on her before her MRI scans. She felt too tired to get up and get dressed, so she took upon herself to just nap a little bit longer before her auntie would come in with her cheerful voice._

_After a short time, Mikoto opened the door and flipped the lights on. "Sa-ku-ch-ah-nuh! Time to get up and-" Her speech was cut short as she looked at her favorite patient with wide eyes. "OH MY GOD!"_

_"What?" Sakura asked quickly, unknowned to know what is causing the tough doctor to jump out of her heels. "Whats wrong, Auntie?"_

_Mikoto didn't respond to Sakura, only falling to her knees as sobs escaped her throat. "OH MY GOD! OH, OH GOD!" She buried her face in her hands and cried hysterically. Sakura was shocked by all of this and tried to get up to comfort her._

_She couldn't._

_Sakura's eyebrows furrowed in confusion of why her muscles weren't listening to her command; trying to kick her legs around or even roll off her bed to get to her doctor. She lifted her head to look down at her body to see her chest ripped open and her organs sprawled everywhere. Her intestines coiled in odd places by her legs and hips as she saw her lungs ripped to shreds on her bedsheets...and her heart was pure black and in her left hand._

Sakura began coughing roughly at the memory of the nightmare she focused so hard on to forget about before she went to the bathroom; holding her fingers to her lips as she suddenly felt so cold. The chillyness that was not there went straight to her bones as she started shaking.

"Sakura?" Sasuke looked away from the screen to eye the pink haired teenager. "What's wrong?"

"I'm cold..." Sakura sniffled. She rubbed her eyes with her sweater sleeve as she looked at him with sparkling green eyes. "I'm really cold all of the sudden."

"Maybe it's the ghost of Sasuke's manlyness!" Naruto suggested jokingly, causing Hinata to whimper at the word ghost to have him instantly try and comfort Hinata's fake pleas.

Sakura didn't ask for his permission as she leaned to her left into Sasuke's side, instantly feeling his body heat give her the warmth she's been wishing for everytime he left her bedroom late at night. She curled up and swung her arm around Sasuke's midriff and clung to his shirt, shivering lightly until Sasuke's arm -the one that was behind Sakura the whole first half of the movie- slowly and shakingly moved until it was wrapped around her shoulders, lightly rubbing her back to try and create cozy friction as she snuggled herself further into his hold. She rest her head, that was now getting a bit sore from the forceful coughs that would've instantly made her cough up blood, moving her eyes back to the screen of the television to watch as they talked to the son through the old lady with the gasmask on. Hinata gave an approving sigh as she hide her face in Naruto's arm, too nervous to see what was coming next from the movie.

Naruto looked over to Sasuke when Hinata wasn't paying attention, seeing how his best friend in the whole wide world's face looked like he was going to be sick. Not like that face if you were to throw up, but rather that face when he was losing too much blood in his body and he would pass out instead. Sasuke's eye was twitching furiously as his black eyes darted from the TV screen, to Naruto and to Sakura all in that rythmic pattern. Unable to help out his friend, Naruto slowly started to giggle like a schoolgirl and startle his poor girlfriend.

=xxx=

"Geez man, I can't believe the look on your face when Sakura was cuddling with you," Naruto snickered evily as he placed on of Momma Cat's offsprings on Sasuke's bedroom floor as Sasuke pulled his shirt off to get ready for bed. "So, tell me, did you get har-?"

"Finish that sentence and I will finish your existence," Sasuke intrupted his friend's teasing. "You know fairly well that I'm not interested in what goes on in that little brain of yours."

"But it's still pretty funny with that look on your face," Naruto smiled when another kitten rubbing up against his shins. He picked up the cat and rubbed its belly carefully. "So why didn't you give Sakura-chan a kiss goodnight like I did with my Hinata-chan! What the eff, man?"

"Not time yet."

"So you're saying that..." Naruto caught the kitten's paw before it clawed his already whiskered face, "you're going to _wait _longer? When the hell are you going to ask her out?"

"December first."

"But that is our concer-" Naruto frozed his lips into the 'r' sound of the word he was trying to say, the twinkle in his eyes made Sasuke slowly nod his head in response. The blond boy held back his cry for joy to launch himself into a man-hug with Sasuke by biting his knuckle while the cat meowed in question at him. "Aa man! Now I have to wait for two weeks? You suck!"

"Hn," Sasuke said with an amused smirk, shaking his head slowly before slipping his nightshirt on. He heard his bedroom door knock when he popped his head through it. "Come in."

Fugaku opened the door and looked into the bedroom to see the two teenage boys looking at him curiously. Uchiha Fugaku was not the kind to tell his eighteen year-old son goodnight after he turned ten, starting to make it much more...unmanly for Mikoto to coo his cheeks at night and say _'How sweet of it of Uchiha Fugaku to tuck his son in? This much!' _and sent Fugaku to treat both of his kids like business men. Rude, I know, but it's the role of the Uchiha to use it in public: scary and heartless, which seemed to brush off on Sasuke quiet well.

"Sasuke."

"Father," Sasuke raised a brow.

Fugaku let himself to walk in, being swarmed with three cats that tried to climb up his leg. "Son, I have a early Christmas present to give you, and I want you to take it seriously." He poked his foot into the kittens side to get them off from clawing him alive. "As you know, Itachi was only thirteen years-old when he got a manager for his Akatsuki band and went on tour only a year later."

"Uh-huh..." Sasuke remembered when Itachi was packing his suitcase while eight year-old Sasuke stood in the doorway, pissed off like when Naruto showed the girls at school his underwear.

"Well, I have been thinking hard for the past few months..." Fugaku rubbed his chin gently, "and I believe you and your bandmates have grown more maturely and more responsible; with all the times you spend at the school's auditorium and spend all your savings on fixing the equipment... I have decided to invite a music producer from Seoul to come and check out your performance on December first. He's looking for a new band to rise his rates and I went to college with him.

"So when he comes here for your performance, you must behave because he is a very picky man," Fugaku shrugged his shoulders. "I would like to have my youngest son work on his future career on his own, unlike his older brother who begged his old man to do the hard shit for him... Bah!" The Uchiha man began to ramble off about how Itachi would make those puppy eyes like Mikoto taught him to get help from Fugaku so easily.

"Father," Sasuke's voice was strained to get his father's attention easily, "are you saying...you got us an offer for our next performance for an _actual _manager?"

"Like, a business suit-dude who gets us gigs and stuff?" Naruto added with a pointed finger. "You didn't do that, did you, Uncle Fugaku?"

"Hn..." Fugaku rolled his eyes. "So much like your father, always not believing in the truth unless it's UFOs or something."

"YOU ARE THE BEST MAN I HAVE EVER KNOWN! I WISH YOU REALLY WERE MY UNCLE INSTEAD OF KARIN'S DAD!" Naruto screamed loudly as he launched his body at Fugaku, tackling him to the ground in a bear hug with a _thump. _"Lemme kiss you, Fugaku!"

"Get off of me!" Fugaku growled like a cat.

Sasuke watched with a surprised expression on his face. Unable to properly take in the new information that his father had just told him: getting a manager for after his next community performance seemed impossible for him to imagine! Yet...it seemed like the greatest oppurtunity for him and his band, starting off in the dream in music class of hitting the spotlight in other countries to the garage, to set soaring into the sky with the big names. Along with his older brother at his side and his closest friends at hand, Sasuke was literally bursting for joy on the inside.

_'Sakura...will like this news,' _Sasuke's thoughts sparked an idea as he stepped over his friend and father wrestling around and began to walk down the hallway that lead to Sakura's bedroom.

Hinata was sharing a bed with Sakura since her bed was able to fit three people at a time, giving enough room for the girls to share and for Kushina to keep her son away from his little girlfriend from making Uzumaki babies while she wasn't looking. Sakura loved snuggling with Hinata the most out of the other girls, because Hinata does not like to work out as much so she has some extra squish to her... It's cute, alright? Yes, you know it is.

Sasuke softly knocked on the door, knowing that Sakura went to bed a bit early since she was growing a headache and Hinata offered to nurse her (and mostly because Hinata was going to teach Sakura some flirting tips for next time) and left the boys alone. He waited a few moments before knocking a little bit harder for someone to wake up.

"C-come in, Sasuke-kun," Hinata's shy voice got his attention. He opened the door to see Hinata sitting up on Sakura's large bed, cradling the pink haired girl in her arms; keeping her face hidden in her shoulder, petting her short hair gently as she could to look over at Sasuke. "She had a bad dream..."

Sakura's little hands clung to Hinata's pajama shirt, sobbing lightly and getting the soft fabric tear-stained easily. She tried to talk but it always let out in a muffling cry for Hinata, who complied to her pleas by hushing in a soothing manner. "Sakura-chan, can you sit up now? Sasuke-kun is here..."

Sasuke walked over and hesitated to move any closer. He looked at Hinata, who nodded and shifted her eyes to let his hand move; gently reaching over and resting his palm on the nape of Sakura's neck. His thumb moved in circular motions to try and ease her cries.

"Sakura, look over here," Sasuke whispered softly. His face was totally expressionless from Hinata's point of view, but she could easily see the worry he had in his eyes when Sakura switched from Hinata's shoulder to Sasuke's chest, burying her head in his bicep while her skinny arms wrapped around his slim waist.

Sasuke gripped her shoulders gently and knelt down to meet her eyes; unable to see it as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "Sakura, what scared you?"

Sakura shook her head still nudged on his shoulder, making a 'nuh-uh' noise softly into his shirt as she hugged him closer. Sasuke sighed as used his other arm to reach under Sakura's legs and lift her into his arms for him to sit on the edge of Sakura's bedding, looking at Hyuuga in question.

"S-she won't tell m-me..." Hinata played with her fingers shyly, still having a worrying expression. "She hasn't coughed, but I can hear some fluid in her lungs."

"Will you go and look after the Dobe?" Sasuke whispered slowly. He watched Hinata nod gently before touching Sakura's shoulder and leaving the room, keeping the door open as she went to the other side of the house to tend to find Naruto trying to snuggle the Uchiha man.

Sakura continued to cry for a few more moments, just staying in Sasuke's arms as he continued to rub the back of her neck gently. He hummed a random tune with his chest vibrating for her to soothe all her sobs away, hearing softly how her cries began to decrease and the noise of a _'glug glug' _coming from her lungs. Sakura pulled her head away and wiped her eyes of any tears from falling anymore.

"Sakura," Sasuke touched the side of her head, brushing his fingers through her pink hair, "tell me what was bothering you."

"I h-had a bad d-dream..." Sakura sniffed.

"I know that, but what was it about?" Sasuke pressed on with a serious expression. No way was Sakura getting out of this anymore then she has for the past week. "Just tell me."

"I..." Sakura's green eyes watered again. She closed her eyes to let the tears fall down her cheeks. She felt his thumbs wipe them away gently, causing her to swallow thickly before speaking again. "I had a nightmare that I...died in the crash."

Sasuke's heart sank to his feet. Her nightmare was starting to trigger the memories of when he found the poor little girl all tattered up and bleeding through her bandages as he sat there and watched her cry whenever she would wake up and realize that her parents won't be here anymore. He sighed through his nose and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I-I'm sorry...if I bothered you, Sasuke-kun," Sakura mumbled through her lips, already feeling tired and wishing that Sasuke would hold her again until she fell asleep. "I didn't want you...or Auntie, or Auntie Kushina to think I needed to go back to the hospital... I would miss your concert, Sasuke-kun."

He finally opened his eyes to look at her sparkling green orbs, looking how even more pretty they looked when she was crying -not that he liked her crying, but really- how the sparkling twinkle in her eyes shined even brighter in the dark-lit bedroom, and how his hand stayed on her pink hair and gently pet her head to ease her misery of a sore chest. All this girl wanted was to stay out of the hospital and attend to the concert that her old band was performing; to sing with Sasuke onstage and finally figure out the true message of his song that he wrote with her in secret.

"Where does it hurt?" Sasuke asked after she fell silent for a long time, staring at the stitching pattern on the collar of his shirt.

"My headache?" Sakura looked up a little to see him nod gently. She was slow in her movements as she reached her hand to the usual crown of her head, where it would create her most discomfort. "Just here...it's very sore when I would move my eyes around too quickly."

Sasuke gave no warning as he leaned forward to press his mouth oh-so-gently to the spot of her head where she pointed. Her eyes widened greatly at the sudden action he pulled on her, feeling her heartrate skyrocket over the moon and back as she let her eyelashes flutter shut by the soft kiss on her head and the gentle touches of his tough fingerpads that grew thick, tough skin over the years of playing the guitar with both hands. She really didn't want this moment to end at all; she wishes she could shut her door and tell Sasuke her whole heart's needs and have him hug her all night long.

Too bad she didn't know that Sasuke totally felt the same way.

All too soon, Sasuke pulled back and began to move. It took Sakura a moment to realize that he was putting her back into her sleeping position, taking her thick purple quilt and pulling it to her bellybutton, looking at her with a half smirk glittered on his pretty face.

"You go to sleep," Sasuke ordered in a hushed voice. "If you have anymore nightmares, have Hyuuga come and get me."

Sakura's tongue was tied with how Sasuke was spoiling her. She hated being spoiled by anyone, even if it was her crush doing so, she's not a baby and would refuse to be treated like one. She only nodded as Sasuke stood straight and took a step to go, noticing how Hinata was peeking at the doorway like she usually would when she's sneeking around and not wishing to intrupt. He walked out the door and nodded to Hinata as she scurried through the door and closed it as quiet as she could.

Hinata hopped to the bed and faced her dear ill friend. "What did Sasuke-kun say?"

"If I had another bad dream...to go and get him," Sakura looked at her hands, seeing how little the fists were as she remembered how Mikoto said that the heard was big as a loose fist. She thought about how little the heart would cause such a problem whenever she would get upset at anyway, and how many people are affected by it.

If this heart was capable of killing her... Sakura didn't finish that thought.

"Hinata-chan?"

"Um?" Hinata kicked her feet under the blankets next to Sakura, looking at her as she bit her lip curiously.

"Can you... Will it be okay if I hugged you while I fall asleep?" Sakura's eyes watered a little, rubbing her eyes before she looked at her. "I'm just... I miss my mom a lot."

Hinata knew how Sakura and her mother would snuggle together whenever she would have a bad dream or scared of the monsters under the bed. She smiled big as she nodded and layed down next to her, wrapping her arms around Sakura's shoulders as she rolled to her side to hug her back, being in the best position that even Hinata liked when falling to sleep. Sure, it may be odd for an almost-twenty-year-old woman to snuggle another all because she had bad dreams. Hinata loved Sakura like a older sister, just like with Ino and Sasuke as a brother, and this Hyuuga would do anything to make sure Sakura was comfortable.

She would remember how her father, Hiashi, would tell her not to go over to play with the Uchihas' and his infested friends; how they're suppose to be snobby and abusive people. They're not, that was for damn sure, and Hinata would break all the rules to be with the people who understood her: how she wants to be a teacher for little children when her father wanted her to run the Hyuuga company that will set her for life, or how her hobbies where flower pressing and practicing tea ceremonies with her friends. All of these were only provided with Hinata's dear friends and the members of the Akatsuki and Shippuden band.

"By the way, Sakura-chan," Hinata hummed softly when Sakura rest her head on her shoulder, petting her pink hair gently. "Naruto-kun told me that Fugaku-sama has gotten the boys to get a manager to see their performance."

Sakura was already half asleep as she smiled. "That's so great, Hinata-chan... I'm so proud of them. I want to make them a cake..."

"When would you want to do that?"

"After I sing with Sasuke-kun..." Sakura was suddenly pulled into a hazy enterance of a dream, feeling the warmth of Sasuke's mouth and hand still on her sore head. "Sasuke-kun and I will sing together and the guy will have to see...what a talented man Sasuke-kun is with the boys."

_'By Sasuke-kun's side...without the hospital's help.' _

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE-... God damn you, Uchiha Sasuke; grow some balls and just say you like her already! Gawd, even I would've been like 'So, guess what? I like you and I want you to be my girlfriend. How does that sound, Sakura?' God, why can I just make him confess? Wait... I CAN!

...

But I'm not ;D

I love how I showed the dark side of Hyuuga Hinata, the queen of flirting by using her shyness for EVIL! Before you will ask, in all my stories that dealt with SasuxSaku, this couple flirts differently to me in different ways. I will show how they will flirt later on in the story, but I can not explain properly on how they will... but I like making Hinata squishy pwp She's not fat, no, but she's cuddly!

Yes, Sasori and Sakura are related cousins from Kizashi's side of the family ;D Does this mean Chiyo was either pink or red haired? I don't think we will ever know...

Ichigo's shower move was inspired by my darling kittycat, who LOVES to jump into the shower while it's running just to get clean with me... It's cute, surely, but it can totally be a romantic-mood-killer, don't you agree? xD I know you all love Ichigo!

SONGS USED FOR THIS CHAPTER-

Just That Sexy by _Christina Bionic- _When I heard this song...I instantly thought of Ino's personality in this fanfic xD I've known this song for a long time but forgot I had it in my iPod until Shuffle was kind to me. I heard rumors of Myah Marie singing this, or some other artist, but I looked it up to see that it was this lady instead.

Sexy and I Know It by _LMFAO- _I do not really like this band, honestly. But I do like the song; who wouldn't want to tuck their sweater collar over their heads and dance like a perverted fool? Lawl, the joy of being a sexy creature -makes buttugly face-

Remember what to do to make Kitty a happy fuzzball! I am getting ready for the wintery weather so I need to get as fuzzy as possible. HELP ME~!


	9. Chapter 9

ASDFGHJKL~! HELLO PEOPLE AND WELCOME TO CHAPTER NINE OF SING TO ME, BABY! ;D MUST I SAY THAT YOU ARE LOOKING VERY LOVELY TODAY? -offers you wilting flower- o-o... Crap. Don't leave me just because I can't woo you D; Don't mind me, just enjoy this story okay? I hope you will like Chapter Nine of this story ;3 You're all in for a treat, I assure you!

I don't like to brag but...my SasuSakuness deserves a cupcake, don't you think? xD -feeds it a cupcake- I'm very honored to have all of you guys check this story out, even if you're the person who never Reviews and leaves me forever~, I am still thankful for how you still took the time out of your day to read any of my stories anyhow. Thank you very much to all who have contributed x3 Kitty goes fuzzbally for all of you!

Note to the people who read both my stories, I will only be able to update for this story this week and the next week... Well, we will have to wait and see ono I'm very sorry for the short notice, but I have been very busy with things in my life and they require my full attention in my freetime. Please understand that it may take a bit, but Kitty will come back for you guys! ;D So please enjoy this chapter and remember that I'm uploading two new stories this month! Surprise!

Remember those things Kitty goes fuzzbally for? Yeah, she will do it again if you're willing to Follow, Favorite, Review or whatever you want to do with this story -besides stabbing it with a fork. Apparently that kinda hurts my heart a little ;w;- Sorry to all of you who forkstab things they don't like!

*DISCLAIMER- KITTY DOES NOT OWN MANY THINGS IN HER LIFE, SUCH AS THE LYRICS THAT WERE FEATURED IN THIS CHAPTER. THEY ALL ARE OWNED BY THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, YOU KNOW? THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AND WHATNOT AND MAKE TONS OF MONEY BY THE MINUTE WHILE KITTY JUST GOES AND SITS BY THE STORE WITH A TIN CAN? -'cause I ain't nu hoe!- SO IF ANYONE HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT, SCREAM ALL YOU WANT, RANT ALL YOU WANT, CRY IF YOU WANT...I WON'T STOP YOU! ;D GO GET A COOKIE TO FEEL BETTER! BYEBYE AND HAVE A NICE DAY, PEOPLE*

_-I recommend for this flashback, that you listen to So Cold by Ben Cocks (you can find it on YouTube easily). I was inspired for this flashback by that song and I think it would set the mood as you read it C;-_

=xxx=

**Age Eight, Spring**

_Sasuke walked through the front doorway of the large home, minding to nod once in a blessing before looking up to see the movers lift a large box that had the writing of 'DONATION' scribbled in black marker; staying out of their way as he continued to walk on the white carpet to the stairwell that lead to the upstairs bedroom. He had to move away, press himself against the wall, to not get hit with the adults moving back-and-forth and not looking where they're going. He would mutter a word here and there of 'rude' or 'watch it, idiot' but will mostly keep to himself until he got to the end of the hallway to the tall singular door that had some tac holes that used to hold preserved flowers and smiley face pictures._

_He huffed a breath before slowly opening the doornob, taking a step inside._

_"Sakura," Sasuke called out quietly, looking at the back of Sakura's back as she was still dressed in her little black cocktail dress with a black-knit sweater over her shoulders. Her little hands held the dinosaur plush that Sasuke lent her the other night, holding it to her chest as her head only shot up; not looking at him._

_"Hey, Sasuke-kun," Sakura mumbled back, clicking her heel to her toe as she looked back to the spot where her bed used to be._

_Sasuke let himself come in and closed the door behind him, walking to Sakura's side and look at how blank she looked, her little scars from the stitches that were removed recently was still visible and the yellow-blotch on her cheekbone showed her healing bruise. "How are you doing?"_

_"I'm fine..." Sakura's green eyes looked to her wall that was painted pink -once holding all the prized pictures and posters that her friends and parents took part in was now gone, packed away in boxes- seemed so colorless to this little girl now. "You know, this room looks bigger without all my stuff in it."_

_"Yeah..." Sasuke watched as her grip on his plush tightened around its neck, her knuckles turning white as her arms began to shake. He looked to her face to see her chin wobbling and her eyes starting to fill with giant tears that fell without a little blink. His eyebrows furrowed as he moved a step closer and his arm reaching out to wrap around her shoulder._

_Sakura gasped a sob as she hurried her movements to bury her face in his neck. "I miss them so much, Sasuke-kun!" she cried out as one of her hands clung to his black dress-shirt, not caring if she wrinkled it at all as she bit her lip hard enough to taste blood. "I want my mommy and daddy to come home and stop them from taking our stuff away..!"_

_Sasuke looked at the wall Sakura was staring at a moment ago, looking at the dust lines where pictures were once held by tacs or tape; how things that were meant to be was now gone from the bedroom this girl grew up in, the girl he would do anything to put a smile back onto her face so she didn't have to hold it all in anymore. He could just feel the misery she felt at this moment of her parent's funrel already over and now she must watch as the adults take her parent's things away into storage or donations._

_His other hand, that was in his pants pocket at the time, slowly reached up to wrap around her skinny waist, pulling her closer to his body as he hugged her closer and bury his nose into her hair. He barely touched his lips to her little ear as he whispered in a tone that seemed impossible. "Shhh... Shhh..."_

_Sakura's tears soaked into his shirt as she continued to cry, hushing her words and let all her sorrows fall out of her eyes instead of her lips. She could feel the hot hand of her Sasuke rubbing up and down, calming her heartbeat and breathing instantly._

_"Shhh..." Sasuke whispered, slowly rocking her around like a baby, his other hand from her shoulder went to her hair to pet the silky locks that were near her elbows now. "I'm here, Sakura. Shhh...I'm here for you."_

_It's so quiet in Sakura's house. It felt so cold as she felt all her dreams die when she wanted her parents to be involved in the making; all was worthless to her now and she wished whatever God it was to kill her now to let her be with her family again. She wants Sasuke to hold her like this forever and have the people bring her bed back._

_But...this house no longer felt like home._

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Nine- I Just Want To Say...

Sasuke woke up in his bed on the first of December, waking to the sunshine sparkling through his dark curtains and glitter the carpet in interesting patterns. He felt his mind spark with adrenaline as he sat up in his bed, looking at the closed bedroom door with wide eyes. He could almost feel the heartbeat that was resting in the bedroom on the other side of the large mansion, feeling how her breathing was still steady and quiet as Sakura slept soundly for the first time as her cold eased greatly.

Sakura was not sick anymore, and Sasuke was going to tell her today.

He slowly pushed the blanket off of him and took one step onto the fuzzy carpeting, standing up to stretch his arms and back. He yawned loudly as he shaked his head around. He knew he slept great last night, sleeping soundly in her queen-like bed like Sleeping Beauty.

_'Is she Sleeping Beauty...?' _Sasuke blinked as he picked up a random sweatshirt from the floor, thinking carefully of all of the different versions of that kind of Fairy Tale: How would Haruno Sakura fit in. _'... She would fit anyway.' _

Sasuke strolled into the hallway like he owned the place, noticing that no one was up and about in the early morning like they usually would be, having him realize that it was way too early. He peeked at the giant GrandFather clock to see that it was four-thirty in the morning; about two hours before anyone would be busting around to pack the Uzumaki van with the equipment to take to school, taking another hour or two to set up and get ready. He assume that he will take his sweet time to just wander around the giant mansion until another person woke up. He walked down to the more quieter hallway (since the hallway where his room is the same as his parents' bedroom, where Fugaku's snores could be heard easily) to where the supposed princess slept in her chamber.

He was careful to open the bedroom door to peek in for just a moment, just to check on how Sakura was resting before she was forced to move around a lot. He let his head poke in to see Sakura totally nestled in a cocoon of her thick quilt, burying her face into the pillow she was using as a replacement for a friend's arm. He was instantly taken by how gentle and innocent she was, how she was looking completely normal with no sign of any illnesses within her systems; it really did make his heart do weird things.

Sakura was curled into a ball, as usual, with both of her hands under her chin with a single finger pressed against her doll-like lips. Her pink hair sparkled at the little silky strands that the sunlight gave her through her curtains, looking pretty enough to touch as her fair skin added perfectly to the pastel strands. She truly looked like a doll to Sasuke -and anyone, for that matter- and would have been the best picture-perfect item in a photographer's collection.

Sasuke was reminded of Thanksgiving a few weeks ago: how Sakura would fall asleep to Sasuke's command and finally look at peace after a hard day. He sometimes have to do it once or twice with her, but then she seems to fall under a better sleep to dream something better, which would make Sasuke more pleased.

Out of the blue, Sakura moved. Sasuke tensed a little, thinking he had woken her up by accident, but settled back to a relaxed form when she yawned in her sleep and turned over. He finally noticed Ichigo's black ears poking from one of the bedsheets, flickering to the slightest noise Sakura made of talking in her sleep. Curious at what she could be saying, Sasuke dared to step in closer to the side of her bed, looking down at her slumbering face.

"Mngh..." Sakura's lip twitched.

Sasuke knelt down a little until his mouth was close to her ear, eyeing how Ichigo yawned at him. "What did you say?"

"S-s... Say it," Sakura said very quietly, curling closer into a tighter ball with a scrunched face. "Say it...again."

"Say what, Sakura?" Sasuke said quietly, touching a strand of her pink hair that was hanging in her face. His thumb gently pressed to her soft cheek. "Tell me."

_Sakura was outside in the snow, swearing an adorable yet cozy outfit; a dark green jacket with black pants and matching booties with a white hat on her head that allowed her pink chops to stick out everywhere cutely. She felt cute. She wanted to feel cute and pretty for once in her life, and so shall it be._

_She was in the middle of the park, the one by the hospital, and she was eyeing the swingset that layed untouched since the sprinkle of the snowflakes started to cover it. She smiled wide as she ran over and jumped onto a swingset, swinging back and forth on her feet as she used her back to push her. She felt happy and content with the enviroment that winter gave her, knowing that someday the flowers will sprout._

_"Sakura."_

_Sakura's head looked up to see Sasuke standing infront of her with his familiar stern expression, looking at her with a unamused brow. She knew that look, all right. She pouted her lip at him and swung herself again._

_"I don't wanna get off, Sasuke-kun," Sakura announced with her chin high. "Just a few more minutes!"_

_Sasuke's face didn't change at all as he slid his hands out of his pockets, slowly reaching his arms up towards her, causing her to stop her swinging to look at him. He beckoned with his fingers for her to come to him; holding his palms flat for her to take his hands._

_"Time to get off," Sasuke said quietly. _

_Sakura let her head fall to her feet, sighing softly as she leaned forward to Sasuke's arms and gripping lightly to his coat sleeves. She hopped up for him to pick her off of the swing and set her on her feet into the soft snow and kept his hands on her waist._

_She looked up at him with a questionable tilt of her head. "Sasuke-kun?"_

_Sasuke's expression changed back to his more blank one -the one he usually used when he's more calm- as his hand left the side of her waist and trailed up to her face, gently pressing his thumb to her blushing cheek. Sakura blinked a few times before hesitantly reached to grip his scarf, wondering what was on his mind._

_"...you," Sasuke muttered very lowly, unable to be heard the first time._

_"What, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura's eyes shot up from his scarf to his pretty black eyes. She did a soft smile to him. "Say it again."_

_Sasuke blinked slowly, a sudden smirk glowing in his features that would make any girl's heart skip a beat- But for our Sakura, her heart just stopped to match with his. "I said I-"_

Sakura's green eyes opened to see Sasuke standing right above her face, looking _really _close at her. Her eyes snapped opened at the sight of how really calm he looked and not disturbed whatsoever by how close they were. She was stuttering to say something, or rather anything, to get his attention...

"Did I wake you up?" Sasuke asked with a raised brow.

Sakura was capable of rubbing her eyes before shaking her head tiredly, trying to sit up until Sasuke's hot hands gripped her shoulders gently and pushed her back down. "Mn..? Sasu...ke-kun?"

"It's too early for you to get up," Sasuke explained in a hushed tone, hoping not to startle her in her sleepish-state. "Go back to sleep and I'll have Mom come and get you up around nine-ish."

Sakura's eyes blinked slowly a few times as she looked up to the ceiling, sighing as she gripped to Sasuke's sweatshirt sleeve and tugged with a pout on her lips. The sparkle in her emerald gems glittered in the dark part of her bedroom.

"You want me to stay, I assume?" Sasuke raised a brow once more and a smirk formed on his lips. He saw how she sleepishly nod and tugged on his sleeve more for him to sit by her. He climbed over her feet and sat by her laying form, shoving his hands into his sweatshirt pocket as she rest her head on his side, curling her form and her fists gripped his pajama pants.

"Nighty night..." Sakura sighed as she fell asleep instantly with Sasuke's form by her side, sniffling a little before her eyes moved under her lids for her dreaming state to take place. Sasuke watched her for the longest time, touching her hair every now and then, but mostly just admire how peaceful she looked while she slept by his side. It made him feel better on the inside about everything that would usually bother him; the fact that Sakura is capable of changing him would've probably make the headlines.

Sasuke's fingers lingered too close to Sakura's jaw, making Ichigo sprint up and sink his claws into the palm of Sasuke's hand. He was trying to show the Uchiha that the Haruno baby was his cuddle buddy and there was limits, which pissed of Sasuke obviously. Both of them stared at each other with the fiercest glares you could possibly imagine Uchiha Sasuke holding up against a kitten (but who can't imagine Sasuke battling with an adorable kitten?).

"Back off," Sasuke whispered harshly at Ichigo, whos' pink nose twitched at the comment.

Ichigo growled cat-like and bit into Sasuke's fingers. Sasuke growled a bit more as he lifted his hand with the feline still attached to him like a koala baby to its momma. "I said back off," Sasuke muttered again as he began shaking his hand at him to pry loose. It took another minute before Ichigo literally flew across the bed and landed on his paws, scurrying to the opened door and into the hallway.

Sasuke smirked in victory before he saw the shadow of his mother peek into the room and giving him the look. He rolled his eyes and looked away like he didn't see anything as Mikoto strolled in on her tiptoes to the edge of the bed.

"Did you scare Ichigo-chan? He was crying to me," Mikoto whispered with her eye twitching.

"He was being a pest," Sasuke replied in a low voice. His fingers went back to remove another lock of Sakura's hair from her face, causing Mikoto's eyes to glow.

"Ooh, I see now!" Mikoto almost said loud, until she heard Sakura's head roll with a discomfort noise. She giggled into her fingers before dancing on her feet lightly. "You're possessive, Sasu-chan. You don't like any kind of _boys _getting near Saku-chan, ne?"

"That's stupid, Mother," Sasuke grumbled. "I'm not the possessive type."

"Thats what your father said when we dated," Mikoto snickered quietly. She turned her heels to lead herself out of the door. "Don't stay there too long, I'm waking up your father soon. I'm calling Kushina-chan soon, too so you can't hide!"

Sasuke twitched. He knew his auntie was the kind to direct everyone like Fugaku to get everything ready and no slacking off (except family friends fear Kushina instead of Fugaku) , knowing fully well that the young Uchiha should get a headstart on packing for the performance. He sighed as he gently reached down to his side and lifted Sakura's head very carfully, pressing his palms under her skull and placed Sakura's sleeping head on the soft pillow. He was surprised how much of a heavy sleeper Sakura was being right now, despite her usually trying to cling to him if he was moving away; she just made a noise and buried her face into the pillow.

He took another daring moment to rearrange her short bangs from her face, giving her a very gentle look in his eyes before leaving the bedroom and closing the door. Haruno Sakura's eyes peeked open a little as she let out a little dreamy sigh before actually falling back to sleep.

=xxx=

Kushina was standing in all of her glory...ontop of Mikoto's kitchen chair to be exact. She was wearing her casual outfit of blue skinnyjeans and a bright orange long-sleeved shirt that would have matched Naruto's choice of attire, but he decided to have Hinata dress him in all black to hide his outfit underneath for tonight's concert. It was cute how Kushina would roll a magazine into a speaker and yell as loud as she saw fit to the boys and men who was hustling boxes and papers into the back of the silvery van that was backed into the giant garage that the Uchihas' stash their expensive cars and motorcycles, a boat they use between family friends in the summer and a case filled with tools to work on their toys.

"SAY HOOO!" Kushina mewed loudly through the magazine right by Minato's tired face. "Wake up, honeybun! You gotta get that car loaded!"

Minato, being used to Kushina and Naruto's loud voice, moved the magazine out of his way with his free hand and kissed his wife's cheek. "Shhh."

"No! I must bring order to this situation, Dattebane!" Kushina hopped off of the chair and ran in circles around Minato as he just watched her get more and more excited. "Narutooo! Leave Hinata-chan alooone, you booger! Come and help your daddy with the boxes, damn it!"

"Maaa!" Naruto cried in the same tone, looking away from his giggling girlfriend with a sad face. "A few more minutes?"

"No, baby boy!" Kushina hopped her way over to her son and grabbed his blond hair; blowing a kiss to her future daughter-in-law before dragging the young boy over and pointed to a heavy box. "Take that one!"

"Hai, Ma," Naruto sighed and picked up the box filled with technical equipment, using his arms as best as he could, sliding his feet across the kitchen floor to the garage's enterance. He passed behind Fugaku's form as he came back in to try and help Minato's arms that held three boxes total that weighed a good twenty pounds each.

"How can you lift such heavy things, Minato?" Fugaku grumbled, taking a box and feeling the extra weight hit him. "You're a chef after all..."

"I carry tons of heavy stuff," Minato blinked confusingly. "Giant packs of meat, veggies, flour..." He started to list of names of unknown food ingredients that made the Uchiha's mind go numb easily. His friend easily ditched him and darted back into the garage. "What did I say now?"

Kushina spun around and hugged the back of Minato, snuggling her cheek against his shoulder blade adoringly. "Minato-kuuun, I want food now!"

"But I just fed you lunch, Kushina-chan," Minato blinked confused. He started walking to the enterance as she followed clingly for him. "How can you still be hungry?"

"I'm hungry for your love, Minato-kun!" Kushina squealed like a giddy schoolgirl. She jumped to his back and was carried out of sight on piggyback.

Hinata smiled adorably as she watched her loving boyfriend follow after his parents, mumbling the 'cooties' belief like a little kid. She thought it was very cute of Naruto acting very childish infront of his parents, and how Sakura would act the same with the Uzumaki adults as if she was part of the family... Well, Sakura is part of the family, just like Hinata is considered a member as well; to be loved and adored easily by these wonderful people.

Speaking of the sister in the Uzumaki family, Hinata hurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She instantly went to Sakura's bedroom door and went inside without knocking, startling the pink haired girl who was looking through files of clothing she has lain on her bedding, looking through different shirts and pants and _not _Ino's selection of dresses and dressy things.

"Hinata-chan," Sakura smiled joyfully. She placed down her favorite red shirt to face the Hyuuga sweetheart directly. "What are you up to?"

Hinata's cheeks instantly tinted pink. "N-nothing." She began giggling and playing with her fingers shyly.

Sakura smirked evily as she tiptoed over to her dear friend, reaching her fingers out to start tickling her ribs. Her victim started to squirm and laugh as she tried to get away. "Say what is on your mind, Hinata. It's not good for you, you know!"

"B-but I'm j-just excited..!" Hinata stuttered as she tried to tickle her back, which failed since Sakura darted out of her reach and went back to digging through her clothes. "For tonight, I mean. I-I think it will be great!"

Sakura held a black tank-top to herself, minding that it was snowing outside of her bedroom window. "How so?" she asked as she tossed it to the pile on 'No's and went back to digging.

"It would be like...you know, back when you were in the band," Hinata explained quietly as she looked to her feet. "I remember you and Sasuke-kun sitting in the backyard and trying to come up with lyrics while Naruto-kun would..." She trailed off, unable to explain it correctly.

"While Naruto was being Naruto?" Sakura offered with a cheeky smile.

"H-hai!" Hinata nodded. "Anyway...I always thought you guys were like professional singers and stuff. Until you had to go to the hospital -don't mind me- but I don't think Shippuden w-was the same without y-you..."

Sakura stopped looking through her clothes, taking the time of pausing to look at Hinata who was still looking down at her feet. She watched as the shy girl rocked around nervously when the sounds of memories coming back as if it was just yesterday.

_"Hinataaa! Come here and sit with me!" Sakura yelled from the swing in Sasuke's backyard, feeling her ponytail tagging the long strands of her pink hair to the dirty ropes as she shook her head in laughter as Hinata scurried over like she was in trouble. Sakura poked her friend's shin with her bare toes. "Why aren't you talking like you do at school, ne?"_

_The twelve year-old girl blinked. She slowly peeked over her shoulder to where the boys were wrestling in the grass over who had the right to name the song they came up with, eyeing the blond lad who was getting pinned down by the Uchiha icecube. Her index fingers instantly came to her collarbone and started to play with them nervously._

_Sakura, watching where her gaze was, smiled sweetly. "Why not talk to him? I'm sure he'd like to get out of that pickle."_

_Hinata shook her head as her cheeks bled red as roses. "N-n-no-!"_

_"Come on!" Sakura giggled as she got up from the swing and pulled Hinata over to the wrestling noobs. She watched as Naruto rolled Sasuke to his back; instantly going under as Sasuke used the hold on his neck and leg, putting all his wieght on him. "Sasuke-kun, don't break Naruto. Theres' no refunds!"_

_"Sakura-chaaan!" Naruto cried out as Sasuke obidiently released him, scrambling to his feet to face Sakura at an even height. "What can I do for-"_

_"I want you and Hinata-chan to go get icecream," Sakura intrupted as she reached into her pocket to pull out a few bucks, forcing them into his hands with a serious expression. "That icecream place thats down the street and by the moviestore? Go there."_

_"B-but we have icecream here-"_

_"I don't want that kind," Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's hot and I don't think caramel chunks will settle well in our stomachs on a hot day like this."_

_"Oh...okay," Naruto tilted his head to the side to peek at the shy girl behind Sakura. He offered a big, toothy smile. "Heya! You ready to go?"_

_"H-h-h..." Hinata's lower lip quivered as if she was going to cry. That made Naruto think he did something wrong to the extent. "H-h-h..!"_

_"She's fine." Sakura pushed Hinata to Narutos' side as he guided her around the garden to the gate, asking if she's going to pass out anytime soon so he could be ready. She smiled with victory in her eyes as she looked down to see Sasuke still on the grass, just looking at her with a calm expression. "So you two couldn't think on the same thing?"_

_"Hn," Sasuke grimanced with a funny twist on his lips, making Sakura smile bigger and plop down to the grassy flooring with her legs crossed. He eyed her barefeet caked with dirt and fell back to look at the summer clouds. "He won't take in my ideas..."_

_"If you two don't pick a name, then I'll do it," Sakura announced and looked up as well, thinking one cloud formation reminded her of a llama. _

_"I don't mind that."_

_Sakura's head snapped back to look at how Sasuke just stayed down, looking at the sky without a care of what he just said. Her cheeks tinted a little as she felt her heart starting to skyrocket uncontrollably, a sudden twist below her collarbone startled her as she pressed her hand to her chest, gasping in a sudden state of fear as her eyesight blurred a bit. _

_"Sakura?" She heard Sasuke move against the grass to sit up across from her. "What's wrong?"_

_Sakura blinked a few times, regaining her eyesight back to look at him with a confused expression. She didn't know what was going on...but it wasn't there anymore._

_"Nothing. I'm fine, Sasuke-kun," she smiled cheekly at him._

Sakura smiled girlishly, feeling her nerves show good and bad reactions to the memory of before the day on the ferris wheel with Sasuke; being rushed to the hospital with numbing hearing and speaking in a slurred language as her friends became worried and sick for her to wake up. She bit her lip to keep her heartrate down a notch as she smiled at Hinata, who was waiting for her answer.

"I think sometimes I am still part of the band," Sakura swayed her hips around, as if dancing to a mute song. "Once in a while, at least."

Hinata's eyes widened a bit, slowly smiling and nodded in agreement. "Tonight will be one of those nights?"

"Yep! Now can you help me find something to wear? I can't think of anything good," Sakura grumbled as she looked onto the mess on her bed, seeing how Ichigo jumped out and tackled a sleeve of a frilly shirt. "I want to make myself look pretty for once."

Hinata blinked. "How about one of Ino's-"

"Too pretty!" Sakura teared up at loss.

"Nothing is too pretty on you, Saku-chan," Mikoto's angelic voice startled the pink haired girl as she turned her head to meet her pretty eyes. She smiled warmly to the struggling girl as she strolled into the room, her legs moving like fuild as her arms stayed crossed on her belly. "Don't you get that you're a very pretty girl who needs to show the world how unique you are?"

Sakura's face flushed like a tomato. "I'm not pretty, Auntie."

Mikoto only smiled bigger with the response, shaking her head lightly as she took hold of Sakura's skinny hands into her own, pulling her up to her toes as she guided her to her closet. "Don't worry about it for now, okay? Go to your happy place and let Auntie take care of everything."

Sakura blinked a few times, feeling Hinata follow after her through her closet door. "Uhm...alright."

=xxx=

Sasuke helped Naruto lift the last box into the van, closing it before heaving a sigh at the same time. They both looked at each other before the blond went roaring in laughter and the black haired one simply 'Hn'-ed; turning towards the enterance into the house to get out of the cold and possibly drink something hot before they had to start driving to school. Thank goodness it was only twelve thirty.

Minato already had two mugs on the counter, preparing hot chocolate for the two teenage boys who came in shivering slightly. "Was that everything?" he asked with a toothy smile.

"Ne, it's all done and taken care of, Pa!" Naruto tilted his head to the side. "Wheres' Hinata-chan and Ma?" He sat on the wooden stool of the counter, watching his dad add mint leaves into the melting chocolate.

"Upstairs getting Sakura ready," Minato answered simply. "I would assume that Sakura was trying to talk them out of picking out the pretty things."

_'But Sakura makes pretty things better...' _Sasuke rolled his eyes, walking past Naruto's sitting form and nod to his father who was starting to fall asleep on the kitchen table. He walked out of the kitchen area and headed towards the stairs to notify the women that the men were done slaving away for them since seven in the morning.

He knocked first, just incase Sakura was undressed for any reason, before hearing nothing on the otherside. He opened the door to see the room covered with different outfits and such, eyes gazing to the opened closet door and the sound of socked feet on tiled floor.

The bathroom.

Sasuke could easily hear the chatter of female voices echoing from the closet's way as he edged closer with each step. He couldn't help but smirk a little at the noises the girls were making rapidly as their feet hurried all over the room; probably having Sakura tied inside the bathtub while they do her makeup. Sasuke's lip twitched a bit as he tried to think what they were trying to do to her to make her look more...out there- Sure, her hair and her personality was already noticable, but when she dresses up and puts makeup on then she will would be the surprising catch to people's eyes easily.

"Hold still, honey," Kushina said in a quick voice, catching Sasuke's attention right away.

"Yeah, just let us clean it up." Mikoto's voice sounded...urgent?

Sasuke was infront of the door that led to Sakura's salon-like bathroom, hesitating to knock on the dark wood and ask to come in. He could hear Hinata making a noise of discomfort and feet hurrying about with low whispers, as well as the noise of Sakura moving around in a chair, scooting the legs against the tiled floor and _crying. _

Mikoto sighed with troubled tone. "Just let me-"

Sakura coughed in pain.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he forced the door open without knocking to see all three women crowding around a chair, bickering with each other until he grunted annoyingly; having each head snap around to see Sasuke looking at them with a displeased expression on his face. Hinata was on the side to scurry to the shower cubicle and hide behind the blurry door to hide from Sasuke and Kushina just tilted her head to the side in a sorrowful way, raising her hand to her lips as she looked away from Sasuke's eyes.

"Mother," Sasuke twitched, "what's going on here?"

"Sasuke..." When Sasuke's mother didn't use the usual petname she gave him, that bothered him for the worst. She gently touched Kushina's shoulder to move out of the way as she did the same to show what they were blocking.

Sakura sat in the wooden chair, wearing an unbuttoned dress shirt and boyshort underwear. Her hair was pulled back into a tiny ponytail as her green eyes sparkled with with tears dripping out as she looked at him; her mouth was open as she coughed and spat out a dark liquid of a darkish red. Her skin, shirt and bra was stained with blood as she raised a shaking hand to try and wipe the gooey blood from her chin, still coughing like she was choking. She tried to say something to Sasuke, only to come out in wet coughs and tears spilling out.

Sasuke didn't say anything. He just swallowed and left the bathroom.

Naruto heard Sasuke's fierce steps coming down the stairs and smiled. He picked up the two filled mugs from the counter and stood by the doorway to see his friend's expression blank and looked like he was going to break something.

"Ne ne, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto offered a bright smile. "Don't be pouty with the girls taking their sweet time. Here, kick back and drink some of Pa's hot chocolate! You know you like a few sips here and there."

Sasuke's black eyes glared at him, causing Naruto to shiver a bit as he passed by him. "I don't want any."

"Hey, what's got your pants in a bunch?" Naruto raised a brow as he turned to watch his friend shove a chair, startling Fugaku from his nap as he sat down. "Did they kick you out of the ladies room for privacy?"

"Sakura threw up blood," Sasuke said in a flat tone.

Naruto froze in his tracks and tried not to spill the hot drink on the floor. Minato and Fugaku looked at each other before they glanced at the younger Uchiha shoving his face into his palm, growling low when Naruto let out a whine of distress.

"How is that possible?" Naruto cried out as he set the hot chocolate back on the counter. "She was just fine and she wasn't sick! She looked perfectly healthy last time I checked."

"I know."

"Sasuke, don't be upset about it," Minato offered a polite smile. "I'm sure she's fine."

"She won't be able to fucking _sing," _Sasuke growled out lowly, not looking at his considered uncle in acknowledgment. "Thats the damn problem."

"Oh right... You and Sakura-chan wrote a song, right?" Minato dried his hands with the towel.

Sasuke made a grunting noise as Fugaku sat up carefully at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs; he looked to see his loving with with little drops of blood on her hands and sleeves as she looked around the kitchen. "Mikoto, is she okay?"

"She's getting out of a seizure right now," Mikoto blinked softly. "Hinata is helping her clean up in the shower, but I don't want her to move around too much."

Sasuke didn't look at his mother as she walked over and placed her hands on his shoulders, squeezing gently as she tried to get him to look up. "I know you and the boys were excited to have Saku-chan join in the performance, honey... But she can't function properly on her legs. She threw up a lot of blood."

"Is she going back to the hospital?" Sasuke asked in a rude tone, almost mocking-like.

"Yeah."

"... Whatever," Sasuke stood up from the chair and head to the coat rack to pick up his navy jacket, throwing it on as he stepped towards the garage's door. "We're leaving in five minutes."

Fugaku thought about saying something for that moment, trying to assure his son that he doesn't need to mope about this when he has a person whos' interested into the band's music. But the look on his youngest son'a face caught his tongue to stay quiet as he slammed the door shut in everyone's faces. Minato cleaned up the kitchen when Naruto chugged both mugs of still-steaming drink so it wouldn't go to waste.

"I'm going to hug Sakura-chan goodbye, okay? I'll have Hinata and Ma stay here to watch her!" Naruto said quickly before dashing up the stairways.

Mikoto puckered her lips sorrowly before pulling Fugaku up and telling him to get his good tie on before he had to drive them over to the school.

=xxx=

"Are you serious, Juugo? You can't get the last two songs off before we get on?" Sasuke crossed his arms with a cool expression -not that he wanted to, but you can easily scare Juugo when you're in a bad mood- as he looked at Juugo working on the light testing.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke..." Juugo flipped the switch to test the red lighting, "but I already gave the official disk to the school staff. I can't get it back now."

The disk they were using was beats of technical tunes that the band can't do offhand. Sasuke doesn't lipsinc or anything like that, but there are times when technology is your best friend; needing a multiple voice of Sasuke for a repeated lyric at times was needed. The CD that Juugo was unable to get back had all of the songs in order of performance-including the recorded guitar and violin solo Sasuke recorded himself for his and Sakura's song at the end of the performance.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Juugo's eyes went a little sad as he finally looked at his friend. "I called them and they said it wasn't possible to be done."

"It's fine, Juugo," Sasuke waved a hand, shaking his head softly. "Don't bother them unless you want them yelling, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

Sasuke walked away from Juugo to let him get back to work, strolling his way over to where Naruto was helping Suigetsu set up the drumset and attach cords to a giant power box that leads to the speakers around the auditorium. He picked up a nut to one of Suigetsu's drums and dangled it infront of the two boys who looked dumbfounded.

Naruto took the nut and showed it to Suigetsu. "Where does this one go, man?"

Suigetsu shrugged. "Like hell I know. Karin has the instructions."

"You've been building your drums for three years and you still need directions?" Naruto whined out as Sasuke shook his head silently. "You baka, just look it up on YouTube or something!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and walked away without another word. Naruto noticed and ditched Suigetsu to his own thoughts of what-goes-where to catch up with his emo-like friend. Sasuke didn't look at him as Naruto slapped the back of his shoulder when he reached down for his guitarcase, making a little grunt noise and stood up straight again.

"Don't be upset, Teme," Naruto said with confidence. "I know you were going to tell your princess everything you feel on the inside... It's kinda funny how you were planning this out like a movie, you know. It's actually kinda cute, now that I think of it, and I was chatting with Hinata about and how you act like that one guy... What's his name? I forgot now!"

Sasuke sighed quietly. "Do you know you talk too much for your own good?" Sasuke looked at his blond friend with a raised brow. "Does Hinata get tired of it at all?"

"Nope. I'm too sexy to bore her," Naruto laughed out with that idiotic smile. "But, anyway, I was saying that I think it's nice of you to do that for Sakura-chan! And, even if she's not here, I bet she will be happy to know that you still went to the performance."

"I didn't say anything to her."

"What?" Naruto yawned quickly.

"When I saw her bleeding in the bathroom," Sasuke explained in a quiet voice, opening his case and pulled out his black electric guitar. "I didn't say anything to her when she looked at me; I just left."

Naruto blinked, embracing the silence that was taking in. "She won't be angry at you, Teme. She understands how Shippuden is important to you-"

"Sakura is more important then a concert, Dobe," Sasuke bit hard. "I don't care if my father got a guy coming here to see us perform and possibly get a contract."

"I know," Naruto nodded, "but wouldn't Sakura want you to do your best anyhow?"

Sasuke shut his mouth after that. Of course Haruno Sakura would have wanted the band to do their best if there was a possible chance for them to become more famous; it was Sasuke's dream for himself and his band to become famous and travel the world with their talents, go to parties and perform, get mobbed by people who wanted their pictures and autographs! All like the Akatsuki band who was living their dream as of right now, and Sasuke stood there behind the closed curtains, hearing the people settle into their seats on the otherside to wait for their concert.

Sasuke heard a child laughing on the other side of the curtain. He would think Sakura could be out there watching the kids play around before their authority told them to sit and behave.

"Let's just get this over with..."

_The auditorium's lights dimmed as the people clapped as if on-cue. Juugo took the time to press the button for the curtains to rise slowly as the smoke machine spilled the fake effects spilled off the stage; filling children's awes as their eyes glittered in the dark and started counting the sets of feet. The shadows of each bandmember of Shippuden stood with their feet apart and heads down as Juugo displayed a white-blue sparkle as the lights moved around in a amazing scene. Suigetsu, Naruto and Sasuke stood still like statues._

_A single spotlight hit Sasuke's form, his head raised up carefully and pulled his hand to his chin. Holding the microphone to his lips as the audience fell silent as the dead._

_"Some night, I stay up cashing in my bad luck,_

_Some nights, I call it a draw._

_Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle_

_Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off."_

_Sasuke inhaled a big breath as Naruto added in a voice to sing along with the next lines of the lyrics; both tapping their feet onto the hard floor, causing a beat to echo with the stage's mics that hung in the ceiling._

_**"But I still wake up, I still see your ghost.**_

_**Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for-"**_

_"Oh!" Naruto spoke into the mic over Sasuke._

_**"What do I stand for? What do I stand for?**_

_**Most nights, I don't know anymore..."**_

_Suigetsu and Naruto smiled into the crowd as they started to hum to a recorded drumbeat. Naruto raised his voice as voice into the microphone._

_"Oh whoa, Oh whoa, Oh whoa- Oh oh!_

_Oh whoa, Oh whoa, Oh whoa- Oh oh!"_

_Sasuke took a few steps behind his bandmates as he raised his free hand to point to the sky, swallowing quickly before his next part came into tune. "This is it, boys, this is war! What are we waiting for?_

_Why don't we break the rules already?_

_I was never one to believe the hype- save that for the black and white!_

_I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, but here they come again to jack my style."_

_Naruto and Sasuke bent their knees and to pose to lean on the same side to the right, looking up to the ceiling to speak together in the same note but at different pitches._

_**"And that's alright; I found the martyr in my bed tonight,**_

_**She stops my boned from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am!**_

_**Oh, who am I? Mmm..! Mmm..!"**_

_Sasuke inhaled more air as Naruto dropped his voice to whisper after him in a echo._

_"Well, some nights I wish that this all would end_

_'Cause I could use some friends for a change._

_And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again_

_Some nights, I always win, I always win..."_

_**"But I still wake up, I still see your ghost.**_

_**Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, Oh!**_

_**What do I stand for? What do I stand for?**_

_**Most nights, I don't know... Come on!"**_

_Sasuke shook his head as he sang, "So this is it? I sold my soul for this?"_

_Naruto sighed into the microphone, "Washed my hand of that for this?"_

_Suigetsu pretended to be sad as he sang, "I miss my mom and dad for this?"_

_**"Come on!**_

_**No, when I see stars- When I see! When I see! That's all they are...**_

_**When I hear songs, they sound like this one, so come on..."**_

_"Oh, come on!" Suigetsu waved his hand up._

_"Oh, come on!" Naruto pumped his fist around._

_"OH, COME ON!" Sasuke screamed without the microphone, letting his voice echo through the whole auditorium._

Fugaku rest his sore muscles in the back of the auditorium when he heard an alien sigh next to him. He looked to his side to the shadowy figure that stayed in the dark as he tapped his long fingers to his suit sleeve.

"Are you enjoying them?" Fugaku asked professionally as he turned his foot toward his business partner. "My son and his friends have been working hard for this..."

The unknown figure only shifted his foot, letting his hidden face be noticed by the Uchiha man, who kept his face emotionless as usual. "I think I've seen enough, Uchiha-san. I need to get home."

"But the performance isn't-"

"I said I've seen enough..." the voice was stern, but then fell sweet as boiling honey. "I'll call you when I have the time." The figure left into the darkness and left through the back door while everyone else was distracted by the band shifting to their next song. Fugaku sighed and turned his attention back to his wife who let out a cheerful scream with the other teenage girls.

"Mikoto," Fugaku brushed his hand to her lower back, startling her. "Don't throw your voice out."

"HUSH, FUGA-BOO! MY BABY IS A STAR!" Mikoto threw her head back into a laugh and glomped her loving husband, smacking her lips to his in a youthful kissing passion.

Don't ever give Uchiha Mikoto a can of Red Bull, okay?

_After the first two songs, Sasuke was already sweating in his black and white plaid shirt. His throat was already getting a bit sore from inhaling dry air. He already went through two bottles of water that Juugo readied on the spot when they would leave the audience's view for a short minute as Juugo set the lights differently; then having to jump back and be ready to sing the next song at an instant. Being in the near end of the third song, Sasuke knew it was the _

_"I got, you want._

_It's just-Don't stop!_

_This is entertainment_

_Lies are entertainment!_

_You are down on your knees,_

_Begging me for more!"_

_Sasuke fell to his knees as Naruto striked the guitar he was playing into a dimmed lighting, looking at the tall ceiling that shone painful lights into his black eyes. He thought of how Sakura was watching this at his home with Hinata and Kushina; watching how he breathed softly before holding the microphone to his lips. The instruments went silent as only the CD's disk played the technical 'bitz bitz bitz'._

_"Dear future, I bought you_

_I own the right...to let go,_

_Destory you! This is my life._

_And I-!"_

_The stage went black as the crowd cheered three times louder at the sudden end of their newest song; screaming at the top of their lungs and clapping hard, screaming the band's name in a chant as Sasuke slowly got up from his knees. He exhaled loudly as he walked over to the edge of the stage to place the microphone back onto the stand, getting ready to walk off the stage with Naruto and Suigetsu, who just stood up and walked out of the right of the stage into the darkness._

_That was it for Sasuke. He was done with his performance and will not sing with Sakura._

Sasuke exhaled quietly as he took one step away from the microphone as the cheers died down greatly, suddenly struck with a bright light that hovered above him. He looked up with a confused expression before glancing to the right of the stage to Juugo. He saw the buff teen shrug his shoulders in the dark and disappear in the shadows in the next second as the guitar music played in the speakers behind Suigetsu's drums; a gentle tune that Sasuke made up himself a few weeks ago, gently strumming the metal cords as total silence responded from the crowd.

_'The hell is going on?' _Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. He looked into the crowd with a stern expression, not knowing if Fugaku's guest was still here or not, he really couldn't risk making a fool of himself by just walking out of the light and leaving the stage. He slowly took a hesitant step towards the lonely microphone, letting his unbuttoned shirt fly passed his skin as if a door from the left-side of the stage opened as he took the microphone. He waited until the piano's key to signal the first lyric.

_"I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh_

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain...away._

_I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well;_

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain..._

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_

_And I don't feel right when you're gone away..."_

That was it. That was his line he was singing before Sakura would come into the light and stand by him. Might as well make this a sneek peek for their next performance? Personally, Sasuke really didn't care if there was a next performance. All he wanted for once in his life was to tell Sakura how he _really _felt about her, and now here he is: standing here with no more words to say. He didn't want to go home and see Sakura still struggling to speak to tell him he did a great job...not after he walked out on her without saying-

_"The worst is over now and we can breathe again_

_I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain...away!_

_Theres' so much left to learn, and no one left to fight..."_

Sasuke's head snapped up and twirled to see Sakura standing in a little light of the left side of the stage, looking at him with that adorable smile that brightened the whole room -to Sasuke, at least-. Her face was clean of any blood and was dressed in a soft white-strapless dress that went to her midthigh, decorated with a very light silvery stitch of cherryblossom petals and a thick black ribbon that was wrapped around her waist; having little white ribbons pattern in a corest-like cross. Her hair was wavy and silky looking, having a pin of a silver flower hold one side of her bangs behind her ear. Her legs were decorated in silky ribbons -like a pointe ballerina's shoe- and was wearing black heels that was held by it. She slowly walked a few steps closer towards him, stopping as she held her microphone in both hands.

_"I wanna hold you high and steal your pain..."_

Sasuke unconciously pulled the mic he just put away off the stand, taking long strides (since he was tall with long sexy) he stood infront of Sakura as she looked up at him; her emerald eyes sparkling with the asking of forgiveness, looking at him with a small smile on her doll-like lips as she slowly tilted her head as he sang...

_"You're gone away_

_You don't feel me here anymore..."_

Sasuke reached with his free hand to grab Sakura's little one, pulling her close enough that she nearly hit him. He knelt his head down until their foreheads were touching, exhaling in a relieved tone as he whispered without the microphone. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you..."

Sakura blushed sweetly as she nuzzled her head against his, pulling back a moment to bring her microphone up to her lips as he did the same while still holding her hand.

_**"'Cause I'm broken when I'm open!**_

_**And I don't feel like I'm strong enough.**_

_**'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome!**_

_**And I don't feel right when you're gone away..."**_

The musics solo played for only a few moments as Sasuke purposely twirled Sakura's form into his chest as he pressed his mouth next to her little ear, closing his eyes for only a moment.

"Sakura," he whispered away from the microphone.

"Mn?" Sakura pressed her nose to his shoulder, dancing slowly with him.

"I want you," he swallowed quickly and tightened his grip around her waist, "to go out with me...as my girlfriend."

Sakura's eyes widened against his shirt. Her cheeks flushed as she looked to meet his pretty eyes. She was about to reply until the piano's notes startled her to twirl out of Sasuke's hold and sing with him in the strongest voice ever, sounding like a crying angel to everyone's ears.

_**"'Cause I'm broken! When I'm open!**_

_**And I don't feel like I am strong enough!**_

_**'Cause I'm broken! When I'm lonesome!**_

_**And I don't feel right when you're gone away..!"**_

They both paused as they stared into the crowd, not meeting their eyes at the moment until Sakura gently tugged on his strong fingers. He looked over to see her blushing cheeks as she whispered into the microphone.

_"You're gone away..."_

Sasuke breathed. _"You don't feel me here anymore..."_

Sakura looked away from his eyes, slowly gliding over and buried her face into his toned chest. She wrapped her arms around him into a snuggled hug as her cheeks burned harder with the feeling of his heartbeat easing down from the long performance. Even in her heels, she still had to get onto her toes to reach his cheek to kiss lightly.

"Uh-huh," she said against his skin, hugging him more tighter as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. To the crowd, she looked like she was finally resting in the right person's arms; the angel who fell in love with a nobody.

Sasuke smirked wide as his arms wrapped around Sakura's body and pulled her closer to him. He buried his nose into her pink hair and inhaled the sweet scent of strawberries and something that just makes Sasuke's heart flip a little, rubbing his thumb on her shoulder as the song ended it's tune and the spotlight dimmed out into the darkness.

And the crowd cheered with tears in their eyes.

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE-...BONZAAAAI~! Finally, Chapter Nine has their performance shown into the storyline -cries and dies of failure- Honestly, I wish I made it more longer, but I haven't had enough time to properly think through every detail and some lyrics (notice my mistakes? Lawl.) I still hoped you guys liked it anyhow.

How is Sakura able to be onstage after going into seizure and bleeding so much? D: How did she get that awesome outfit and performed onstage without any troubles? All that will be shown in Chapter Ten, everyone! ;D I promise next chapter will be a bit more better since Sasuke seemed too OOC-ish for my taste =A= Please excuse meh~ xD

I would just like to put all the songs I would've put for their performance ;D To have you guys get more imagination of the rest of the concert that Kitty skipped out on for time's sake. -

Some Nights by _Fun- _I really don't like this band, but this song always cheered me up with my friend would play it in her car ;D I know that the way they sing is different from then the Shippuden band singed, but that's just for performance. Sasuke is the lead singer after all!

Don't Stop by _Innerpartysystem- _Sexiest alternative song EVAAAR. I like this band a lot and it always makes me wanna make a slow-motion scene of asskicking... Who doesn't want that in their life? Have everything in slo-mo with kick butt moves? That's the life...

Broken by _Seether, Featuring Amy Lee- _Amy Lee is so f*cking perfect! She makes me cry for real, people QWQ' I am always inspired by her with her music and I wish I could just hug her (no homo) but it would be so AMAZING. This is the song Sasuke and Sakura wrote together in the hospital.

SONG NOT FEATURED-

Harder To Breathe by _Maroon5- _Another song that I featured in the previous chapters, but did not wish to repeat it again. It would have been their second song after Some Nights and then it would've been part in it.

Please remember that Kitty will be fairly busy for the rest of the week and possibly next week; because she loves you guys SO much, she wishes every individual a very good time while she is gone and hopes that you guys will enjoy the chapter and other stories by other people (because there are a lot of talented people on this site!). Until next time, Kitty wants everyone to have a good time and, hopefully, will Review, Follow, Favorite or just leave and never come back because you don't like my stories ;D I understand~!


	10. Chapter 10

1, 2, 3, 4~ 5, 6, 7, 8,~ 9... What comes after nine, people? CHAPTER TEN~! WOOT WOOT. I HAVE REACHED MY GOAL FOR THIS FANFICTION- Wut, I haz made the last chapter of this story?

Oh, hell no.

This fanfiction isn't even halfway done, I assure you all. I'm not stopping with this fanfiction, nor am I stopping with the others' I am currently working my butt off on. BUT! And yes, there is a but moment for all, my updates will probably take a little bit longer. Please understand that Kitty has a life outside of and she has schooling and work C; Just because she used to update her two stories every week doesn't mean I'm capable of doing that with four different stories at a time. It will take time, trust me, but patience is always rewarding in the end x3

I would like to thank all you readers who take the time to read this fanfiction and my other ones (if you haven't, I do not judge) and take the time to Review, Follow, Favorite or even just ignore what happens afterwards because you're not interested. You guys are all awesome and Kitty appreciates all that you do for her ;3 Please accept my apology for inhancing the timespan of updating, but responsibilities come first!

Remember, to get a Kitty fuzzbally enough for winter's weather, and I assure that her weather is like Alaska, Review, Follow, Favorite or even just leave the story when you're done looking at it will get her fuzzy enough to survive the winter weather! -goes to build an igloo- Danke!

_P.S. Out of curiosity, since my occupation is an intern of an artist (manga, animation processing, etc) how does a DeviantArt account for my fanfictions sound? o3o I'm not making it yet, but I'm just curious on what you guys think._

=xxx=

**Half Hour After Shippuden's Performance**

_Haruno Sakura was in a very happy mood right now. Surely because she was in the girl's bathroom, still dressed in Chi's creation that she made specially for the Shippuden's public performance, looking into the mirror with the brightest smile she could make on her pale cheeks. She pressed her fingertips to her cheeks and flushed calmly as she twirled around, girlishly. She was happy inside and out as she replayed her performance with Sasuke onstage; singing their written song infront of many people, then whisper to each other quietly when the piano and other instruments drowned their secret conversation as they looked like they were dancing across the stage._

_She giggled again as she stopped, suddenly gasping at the form that emerged behind her, standing to block the bathroom door. She turned around to see Sasuke, still dressed and tired looking from singing his head off, leaning against the door and watching her._

_"Sasuke-kun," Sakura fumed in a harsh whisper. She clicked her heels on the tiled floor and lightly bat his arm. "Sasuke-kun, no boys allowed in the girl's restroom, baka!"_

_Sasuke inhaled big and rolled his eyes. "I don't care. No one is watching anyway."_

_"Watching what?" Sakura asked, suddenly curious. She looked into his black eyes to try and find the answer, but his stubborn attitude was blocking it all. She twitched. "What, Sasuke-kun?"_

_Uchiha Sasuke's hand slowly slipped out from his crossed arms, reaching up to move a strand of hair away from Sakura's slightly sweating head. He tucked the hair behind her ear and slowly cupping her cheek, holding it there gently as he saw her face starting to get more and more pink with shyness. He thought it was really adorable of her._

_"What?" Sakura asked in a childish voice, sounding like an upset child that -if Sasuke was a different man- would have laughed at, but he simply smirked down at her._

_"Will you go out with me?" he asked bluntly._

_Sakura's head tilted to the side in confusion times five. She raised a cute pink eyebrow at him as her mouth opened. "I already told you that I said 'yes', Sasuke-kun. Why are you asking me this again?"_

_"Will you be my girlfriend?" Sasuke ignored her response and allowed another blunt question, which would times Sakura's confusion of five times two, which equals ten times the confusion. He rubbed his tough thumb on her soft cheek, feeling the heat of her cheek rising._

_"I said 'yes' to that, too, Sasuke-kun," Sakura blinked hard. "Why are you asking me this over again? I already answered-"_

_"It is just nice to hear it over and over," Sasuke drawled. He wrapped the arm around Sakura's shoulder, pulling her into his opened chest, pressing her fragile body closer to his tough one. He was still hot from the stage's beaming lights and the plaid shirt he was wearing still wasn't proving helpful when he would wander around the cold hallways after everyone has given up to try and find the band's singer (oh, those poor fangirls...) since he was too busy looking for a certain someone anyway._

_Feeling Sasuke's hot skin touching her already cooled skin, Sakura's face could've popped from the amount of blood that shot up to her head. Her heart was starting to hammer painfully against her ribs, sending her into an uncomfortable state. She shut her eyes tighter and wrapped her arms around Sasuke's form, hugging him tightly against her body so she wouldn't fall over. She didn't want to let him know she was feeling sick now, but this was just plain fine to Sakura!_

_"Yes, yes," Sakura mumbled against his shirt's fabric, smiling softly as she continued to whisper 'yes' to Sasuke. He liked to hear it anyway, didn't he? "Yes, I will go out with you, Sasuke-kun. Yes, I will be your girlfriend, Sasuke-kun."_

_Sasuke wrapped his other arm around her waist, feeling her heartrate escalating too much for his liking. He knew already that Sakura didn't want her health to get inbetween them, especially at this moment in time when she's snuggling up to him and saying 'yes' very sweetly. He wasn't going to call her out on it right now, not now when they're sharing a moment that wasn't infront of everyone for them to see._

_Now that he thought of it..._

_"Sakura."_

_"Mn?" Sakura's eyes peeked up to look at his handsome face. She interlocked her fingers behind his back and pressed her flushed cheek against his bare bicep._

_"Lets not tell Mother about this, okay?" Sasuke said carefully. "She might...go overboard with things if she found out that her youngest son's girlfriend is sleeping down the hall from his bedroom." A faint coloring of pink stained Sasuke's pale face, causing Sakura to giggle._

_The memory of Mikoto dealing with Itachi's first girlfriend, which the name escapes them both because they only dated for a few weeks, and the said Uchiha woman went of a frantic rampage of how her son was supposively seducing and trying to woo the poor teenage girl into getting into her pants. It wasn't true, but a mother can never be too careful with her sons when they get curious of the opposite sex, right? Anyway, Whenever Itachi brought a new girl home to meet the family, it...never went off as well as planned. Poor Uchiha Itachi hasn't held a girlfriend longer then three months before we went off on tour. Say that Mikoto scared every young girl into keeping their legs crossed until they are married or on their death beds..._

_And Uchiha Mikoto said she wanted grandchildren._

_"I'm sure Auntie Mikoto wouldn't be too upset with us, Sasuke-kun," Sakura smiled sweetly up to him, digging her little chin into his collarbone. "You're not like Itachi-niisama anyway, you're way too cool for most of the stuff he does anyway."_

_"Hn..."_

_"See? Now get out of the lady's room before you're caught," she giggled as she lightly pushed Sasuke off of her. She smiled at him as he made a expresionless pout at her._

_"Say it again," Sasuke commanded in a whisper, not moving an inch out of the restroom._

_"I will after you get me ice cream!"_

_"...It's snowing outside, Sakura," Sasuke replied with a frown. "And there isn't any ice cream here at the school." _

_"I had Hinata and Auntie Kushina pick up a carton on the way over." Sakura turned her back to him and poked his leg with her heeled foot to get him to move. "Get out before Auntie Mikoto sees, okay?"_

_Sasuke was reminded how Hinata and Kushina were suppose to stay at the Uchiha mansion with Sakura after her seizure. Now Sasuke was going to leave the restroom and raise hell..._

_Just like his Mother would._

Sing To Me, Baby

Chapter Ten- Aftermath...What Equation?

"Sakura-chaaan, why can't I have some cookies?" Naruto complained as he rolled across the school's hallway. He and his friends were waiting outside the auditorium and our favorite nutbowl was left to watch over Sakura and Hinata, who was giving the ill girl little treats to regulate her system calmly. It was a little package of cookies and a juice box for the pink haired girl. "I thought Hinata-chan told you to share!"

"If I'm not that hungry," Sakura rolled her eyes before sipping some fruit punch juice. "I'm hungry, so I'm eating the cookies. Mwahahaha!"

"Wah! So mean!" Naruto whimpered softly as he snuggled against Hinata's leg. He looked up to his loving girlfriend with sorrowful eyes. "Why is Sakura-chan so mean to me, Hinata-chan?"

"A-ano... I dunno, Naruto-kun," Hinata played with her fingers gently as the two people snuggled her way for attention; Sakura on her upperhalf while Naruto is on her lowerhalf, both snuggling the poor Hyuuga girl until she popped under their grasp. "P-please, I'm g-going to faint..!"

Both attackers let go of the shy girl as she squirmed around in her spot until she passed out all on her own while Naruto and Sakura sighed. Poor Hyuuga Hinata worked too hard for nothing. Then her boyfriend will try and sneek her purse to dig for more cookies, only to have Sakura dig her black heel into his groin.

"That is Hinata-chan's private possession!" Sakura hissed like a cat. "You never go digging in a girl's purse, you dirtbag."

"Wah!" Naruto cried out like a baby as the auditorium door was swung open. He glanced up to see Mikoto scurrying out with a worried look on her face, followed suited by her youngest son and her dearest friend, Kushina, bouncing after them and trying to get inbetween them.

"Sasu-chan, looky!" Kushina laughed nervously, poking Sasuke's shoulder daringly. "Theres' Saku-chan, why don't you go play with her?"

"Hn. Mother, you haven't answered my question," Sasuke ignored Naruto's mother.

Sakura's head tilted to the side with curiosity, watching Kushina whine as Sasuke crossed his arms. Sure, he always looked funny when he would get fussy and demanding for something from his parents; much like a furious five year-old, which was cute to Sakura's opinion, but it would leave Mikoto and Fugaku to fend for themselves. So, to assist her dear auntie in her time of need, Sakura stood up in her sweatshirt over her white dress and went to glomp Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, do you have anymore cookies?" Sakura asked to distract him for only a minute, which worked for only a minute.

Sasuke's head moved to look at her with a calm expression, shake his head, then move back to give his mother the piercing glare that she would throw back with her pout. "Mother, how was Sakura capable of singing on stage if she was throwing up blood and having a seizure?"

Oh. That's why Sasuke was angry.

Sakura was the one to answer it. "Auntie had me to fake it all without even telling me about it, Sasuke-kun. It wasn't fun, but I feel better about it now!"

Sasuke was frozen in his stance, his shoulders tensing up to stiff rocks under Sakura's touch as she glanced Mikoto's way to see her attempting to scurry away and look for her husband. Sakura puckered her lips and gave the silent excuse to Mikoto with their eyes for her to move along, gripping to Sasuke's shirt and tugging on it for his attention.

"Sasuke-kun, can we get please get me a juice, please?" Sakura whimpered lightly. "Hinata-chan is passed out, so I can't get any change."

"Hn..." Sasuke slouched his shoulder and tugged Sakura's sleeve towards the hallway where the vending machines stood by the walls, options of different sugary -yet supposively healthy- snacks and different drinks. He stood infront of the buttons while digging out his small wallet from his back pocket, not looking Sakura's way as she twirled her long sleeves around. They were away from other people's view and ears.

"So what did my mother do to you?" Sasuke asked in a quiet tone, causing Sakura to halt her moves and tilt her head again in a cute manner.

Sakura smiled shyly and started moving again with her sleeves. "Remember the blood punch Uncle Minato created on Halloween? That tasted like cherries, but it was totally thick and realistic like blood?"

"Hn."

"I guess Auntie Kushina had some leftovers and gave it to Auntie Mikoto...for God knows why, so she kinda threw it at me and I started coughing on it," Sakura laughed nervously as Sasuke picked out a strawberry juice for her, picking it up and holding out to her. She took it into her palms and swallowed a bit of saliva. "It was a surprise, so I swallowed wrong. It hurt, so thats why I was crying."

Sasuke was silent when she opened the can and started taking sips of the sweet, bubbly drink. She offered him a smile. "So, I guess she was planning me to be a surprise for you, and had Hinata and Kushina to drive me to the school and dress me up, get me looking _pretty, _shove me through the left exit of the door and... Yeah, that's pretty much it."

Sakura pouted a little when Sasuke didn't move a single muscle, worrying her a little bit with her average tone of telling her story. "Are you mad, Sasuke-kun?"

He moved his eyes away from hers and began looking around- at anything, really. Honestly, he was very embarrassed about this whole ordeal; sure, he was still upset that Sakura suffered in some way and he _walked out on her_ like he was pissed about everything. Well, he was pissed about everything. He thought everything he had planned out for that moment; wanting to make it perfect in any way possible for Sakura...

And Mikoto had made it better?

Sasuke only rolled his eyes at her, uncrossing his arms and placing his hand ontop of her head and gently patting her pink locks. "No, I'm not mad..."

That made our little pink haired cutie to perk up with the sweetest smile Sasuke could have ever seen in his life. She got to her toes and snuggled her head on Sasuke's shoulder, sighing happily when he didn't stop petting her head. "Good! 'Cause Mikoto-chan doesn't deserve the Uchiha Glare for her idea, got it?"

"Hn."

Sakura rolled her eyes and lightly punched Sasuke in the shoulder. She took a big gulp of her strawberry drink and hopped on her heels down the hallway to resume her chatter with Naruto and the recently awakened Hinata, who were both now fussing over the last cookie in Sakura's snack package. She was followed by Sasuke who watched the ill girl squeal when Naruto broke the cookie in half and fed it to Hinata with red cheeks, even Kushina cooed with Sakura before tackling Naruto from behind in a hug and cheek-pinching. Mikoto laughed when the blond boy cried out in cooties and left the area to the car, leaving Sasuke the only one standing in the hallway. He thought about how now was the next chapter in the relationship with Haruno Sakura, how now they were _boyfriend _and _girlfriend. _He figured his friends pretty much got the idea when he left the stage with a red face (and Uchiha Sasuke _never _leaves the stage with a red face for anything) so he wouldn't have to tell them...much.

"Sakura, we're leaving," Sasuke said softly when Sakura's head popped up. He smirked when she slapped Naruto with her soda can when he giggled naughty-like, rolling herself into Hinata's lap and kissing her cheek sweetly in goodbye. "Hurry up before Father gets angry."

"Yeah yeah," Sakura giggled lightly as she sprang up, her skirt bouncing lightly with her as she toed her way to Sasuke's side, and sending one last wave to her friends in goodbye as Kushina started to complain that Naruto was taking too long. She smiled and dared to wrap her arm around Sasukes', holding tightly with intertwined fingers as she rest her head on his arm as well. "These heels are starting to kill me."

"Hn," Sasuke created a amused smirk on his face. "Then you shouldn't wear heels if they hurt like that."

"But then I won't be as tall!" Sakura used her little hand to size the difference between her and Sasuke's taller height. "I swear, all of you boys, grow taller then all the girls in the school. It's not fair!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and continued to escort Sakura to outside, where Mikoto's black car -that she drove herself over to the school- was waiting for them to enter. Mikoto told the two that she would be riding with Hinata and Kushina back to the mansion and have the boys suffer the lack of space without her; giving Sasuke the okay to get more alone time with Sakura since he watched her better then anyone else after a considered workout. It was true that Sasuke takes more care then other people do, but don't open that up around Sakura since she hates being babied.

Sasuke opened the passenger door for Sakura, waiting until she put the seatbelt on for him to close the door and get in on the driver's seat to find his new girlfriend trying to undo the sashing ties of her heels. Chuckling to himself so she doesn't hear, Sasuke started the car and turned on the heater before pulling out of the parking spot and onto the dark street.

"Hey Sasuke-kun, I'm getting hungry," Sakura pouted lightly as she started drawing on the misty window. She started to draw random animals like ducks and cats; glancing Sasukes' way to see if he was paying attention, which he was, as he nodded lightly without looking off the road. "Do you want me to make something when we get back? I'll make grilled cheese with tomato soup."

"I'll just take the soup," Sasuke answered cooly.

"You need to eat something besides tomatos, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura pouted, flicking condensation at his bare face as he smirked infront of her, teasingly. She rolled around in her seat as the silence itched on around the recently couple, causing her to feel uncomfortable; which is odd for her, as she usually didn't feel shy around him. She wasn't a shy girl anymore, damn it.

"Sakura."

"Yep!" Sakura's eye twitched as she refused to look at him, curling her legs under her as she shoved her mouth into her baggy sweatshirt. She dared to peek out of the corner of her eye to see him smirking big. It was a really good smirk, no doubt about that, but that only made our Sakura's face burn hotter and her chest was hurting a bit.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Yep?" Sasuke mimicked Sakura's cracky voice, just teasing the pinkette's lips to smile.

"Stop making that face," Sakura let a giggle out.

=xxx=

Ichigo was snuggled in Sakura's lap, curling in her cow-print pajamas and purring loudly in her bedroom. He listened to Sakura's bright green pen sketching in her song book as his master leaned forward to write another line of lyrics she's been working on. Ichigo opened his eyes to look at Sakura's bedroom door opening to see Sasuke strolling in wearing his sweatshirt and plaid pj-pants; walking in and meeting his eyes to give the rivalry lightning before the girl in the middle closed the song book and smiled up to Sasuke's approaching form.

"Isn't it getting late, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked with a sweet smile on her face. She picked up Ichigo into her arms and scoot a little to offer a seat for her new boyfriend; he sat down and willingly pressed himself a bit closer to her side then before as Ichigo growled out at him warningly. "Oh, Ichigo-chan, be nice to Sasuke-kun!"

"How is the song your writing that is oh-so-secretive?" Sasuke drawled tiredly as he rest his cheek ontop of her head lightly, eyeing how she snuck the book under her pillow. "Can't you at least tell me what it's about?"

"Nu-uh," Sakura shook her head, her short pink hair swishing to the sides. "'Cause then you'll tell a friend, and then that friend will tell his other friend and it will repeat and such!"

"What if I give you a kiss?"

...

_**"What?!" **_Sakura screeched as she buried herself under her thick quilt, hiding her mouth and nose with the cuddly fabric and practically flung Ichigo off her lap to use her legs as a shield. Her eyes were big with her cheeks as red as tomatos with Sasuke's face so close to hers'. "I d-don't..! I think-! _Don't laugh at me, you buttface!"_

Sasuke was chuckling with that sexy smirk on his face. Sakura growled and picked up Ichigo and used his white paws to shove up his nose, yelling at him again as he fell back from the sudden attack of fluffyness. Sakura smiled in victory, but was soon to fall into the bottom of the food chain when Sasuke performed a Jaws moment of creeping back up the bed and slide under Sakura's purple covers in a second.

"Ah...Sasuke-kun?" Sakura blinked nervously as she clung Ichigo to her chest with her brow twitching. She watched the giant mound move closer to her body and chilly fingers grasping Sakura's bare ankle, her eyes widening as she let out a shriek of giggles when Sasuke began tickling her foot. Ichigo hopped out of her hold and jumped off of the bed, watching his master fall in battle. "S-S-Saaa-! Haha! _Sasuke-kuuun! _Stooop it, you buttface!"

Sasuke didn't stop tickling her foot, no matter how hard she tried to fight him off to stop giggling. A sudden twist in her chest made Sakura stop laughing altogether, a sudden intake of breath while a bubbling sound emerged in her throat. She started coughing wetly and Sasuke freezed his moves and stuck his head out from under the thick quilt.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke breathed with a nervous spark in his eyes. He pushed the blanket off of his shoulders and pressed his hands on Sakura's face.

Sakura coughed again and nodded her head fast. "F-fine! Don't worry about me."

Sasuke sat back and gave her a serious look. Sakura simply rolled her eyes and shoved a light punch to his shoulder. I said knock it off with the babying crap, I'm perfectly fine!" Her voice was normal again, but her cheeks were still tinted pink when Sasuke looked. He caught her wrist with a gentle hold and forced their eyes to meet.

"What now?" Sakura sighed rather annoyed.

"You should lay down," Sasuke said, breaking the eye contact when Ichigo pawed at his pajama pants. He twitched and moved his leg away from Ichigo's claws, but they simply were caught when the little kitten pounced back.

Sakura only rolled her eyes and pushed Sasuke away to get her quilt over her body, but Sasuke beat her to it by covering both of them with the thick blanket and tackled her to the mattress, making her squeal and cling to his sweatshirt. Her eyes shut tightly as she rolled herself over to hug her pillow, having Ichigo meow for her and grab onto her pillow alongside with his sweet master. After waiting for a few minutes, Sakura peeked her eyes opened to see her tucked in next to Sasuke, who was under her blanket by her side and had his hands behind his head and looking at the ceiling with no care in the world.

_'This...is so bothersome!' _Sakura's face fumed as she blew air into her cheeks. She gave Sasuke the abosolute Uchiha Glare, trying to burn into his heart and soul as they locked eyesight again for a long moment as he gave an expressionless face. She held her ground as best as she could until Sasuke leaned forward...

And bit Sakura's little nose.

Mikoto was sitting in the livingroom with her lovely Momma Cat on her lap, stroking her soft head and humming while Fugaku sat in his king-like throne and reading the newspaper he missed this morning with his son's performance and Kushina's dictatorship getting in the way. They would glance at each other out of random and smile flirtaciously at each other like teenagers. The television was on at a low volume, since Mikoto wasn't paying attention to it anyway, but would rather hum her own tune and listen to the newspaper crinkle everytime her husband moved.

Oh yes, this was a portrait of a perfect ni-

_"UCHIHA SASUKEEE! I'M GONNA HURT YOU WHERE IT HURTS, THAT YOU GO CRYING TO YOUR MAMA!" _Sakura's voice pierced Fugaku's poor aging ear as Mikoto simply glanced to the ceiling of the upstairs residence with her lips puckered. Small 'thumps' and 'bangs' were heard as Fugaku groaned in the noise, but Mikoto went back to pet Momma Cat's head.

"Ooh, young love, ne Fugaku-kun?" Mikoto purred lively. Yes, Mikoto basically knew what their relationship status was, she just wasn't going to bother them...yet.

"Hn..." Fugaku rolled his eyes and gave up reading the paper with all the noise, looking at Mikoto with accusating eyes. "Aren't you going to tell them to go to bed?"

"I don't want grandchildren yet, Fuga-boo!" Mikoto blushed girlishly, causing Fugaku's nose to bleed and try to escape to the kitchen. The Uchiha woman smirked evil as she knew how to push all her husband's buttons.

=xxx=

Haruno Sakura woke up in her Uchiha home bed, eyes snapping open as her pink hair moved with her head to look out the window with the white drapes, taking in the bright sunshine that flooded her room with a pretty dance of light. Her green eyes scanned around the bedroom, looking for a certain someone who sat by her until she fell asleep, hoping that he dozed off with her when it was itching closer to three in the morning.

Nope. He wasn't there.

Sakura didn't fuss about Sasuke going back to his bedroom. In fact, in Sakura's defense, she was bursting with joy over her new boyfriend -her first boyfriend _ever!- _as she started giggling like a hyperactive girl on sugar. She squirmed with her hands to her mouth as she laughed a bit louder, noting Ichigo crawling out from under her blankets and meowing to her in goodmorning as she rolled off her bed; landing on the floor with a 'thud' she continued laughing as she hugged the pillow that fell with her.

_'Sasuke-kun ish mah boyfriend,' _Sakura thought in a silly language, burying her face into her pillow and bent her legs on the other side. _'Sasuke-kun wants to take me out as his girlfriend! I'm the happiest girl in the wooorld!'_

Remembering something that was somewhat important to Sakura, she snapped out of her laughing mode and hopped to her knees. With a smile still planted on her face, she reached for her cellphone and flipped it open to begin texting her thumbs away like a pro that she was.

**-Message-**

**Ino-chan:**

**Ino-chaaaan! Wake up, gorgeous.**

**Sasuke-kun asked me out! TwT**

She didn't hit send right away, noting how everything she typed in seemed too...girly for her taste. Sakura was not the one to be girly over anything (even though it is probably the greatest thing in her life!) she wasn't going to start changing anytime soon.

**-Message-**

**Ino-chan:**

**Ino-chan, wake up you PIG! ;3**

**I have to tell you something awesome, **

**so get your bubble butt up!**

Now that was much better for Sakura's taste. She hit the 'Send' button before getting to her feet, picking up Ichigo in the making as she started walking towards her walk-in closet and make her way into her salon-like bathroom. She never understood why Mikoto made her pick out the room with the glamorous bathroom, but she was somewhat thankful for the solitude it gave to the pink haired teenager, who prefered her bathing time to be private and noiseless, probably like Uncle Fugaku who prefers silence. Sakura was about to remember something of one of her uncles until her cell buzzed in a text message.

**Ino-chan:**

**Either you met Justin Beiber,**

**or Sasuke-baka asked you out? And wae**

**chu wake meh so early?! It's almost 10AM! D:**

Sakura giggled adorably to the childness Ino had. She was always more comfortable being more...like her, but this situation was serious. Serious... Really, Sakura?

**Reply:**

**Eww, I don't like celebrities.**

**But, yeah, Sasuke-kun asked me to**

**be his GIRLFRIEND... What do I do**

**Now? o-o**

She figured to be in her white bathtub, to soak all last night's excitement away and still be able to text without getting her phone wet. She set the water to be hot, just the way she liked it, as if being cuddled into an endless blanket of warmth, as Ichigo purred like a motorboat as he watched the running water start to fill up the tub; sitting on the ledge and watching the liquid while his master began undressing from her cute pajamas. Sakura took the moment in her panties and bra to see Ino's resonse.

**Ino-chan:**

**Well, if I wuz chuz, I would **

**bake cookies on those abs of his ;P**

**I had fun counting those last night at**

**the concert... Shika-kun should work out, too!**

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. She didn't mind that Ino was oogling at Sasuke's ripped abs, but the fact that she probably did it infront of Shikamaru as well was another thing. Ino was always the flirty kind and Sakura still can't get over how Shikamaru is able to handle that kind of habit his blonde girlfriend has.

**Reply:**

**Uh-huh...-.-"**

**Wouldn't Shikamaru try to kill**

**Sasuke-kun if he saw you eating cookies**

**I baked on his abs? You little PIG.**

Settling into the warm water, Sakura let out a sigh of pleasure as she sunk to her neck; bubbles and scented sweetness invaded her senses as Ichigo hung on the ledge to mewl at her with an upbeat happiness as she smiled at her kitty-cat. She poked her fingers from the water, covered with bubble suds as she poked Ichigo's nose to spread the bubbles onto the pink nub, causing the cat to squeal and drop himself and try to figure out what foreign substance was tickling him. Sakura giggled sweetly as she began washing her arms with the washcloth that hung on the line above her head. She wanted to scrub off the glittery powder Kushina sparkled her with before she got onstage -probably having them on the bedsheets now. That's just _greaaat!- _and watching it rise to the top and stick to the big bubbles.

**Ino-chan:**

**Whatevz. So what do you have planned**

**today, my dear? Wanna go shopping**

**with me? I'm dragging Shika-kun!**

Sakura thought about it over... Something sparking in her head. A sweet, yet naughty smile twitched in her lips as she typed as fast as she could before dipping her head underwater.

=xxx=

"...We're going where?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he watched Sakura, dressed in a dark green babydoll shirt and dark grey leggings, act like a happy child at Christmas as she dragged Sasuke out of his bedroom. He had just finished getting dressed in his pants when Sakura burst in without knocking and began rambling about 'shopping with Ino' and 'How she isn't going to Hell alone!' kinda deal; making his own thoughts spin with the headache he still had from the performance last night, he really wasn't in the mood to go anywhere. "Sakura," he sighed, "I don't want to-"

"Sasuke-kun, don't be a stick in the mud now, okay? I want to get out of the house as much as I can before I have to go back to the hospital," Sakura explained with a smile still planted on her face as she kept a surprisingly strong grip on Sasuke's arm. "And, if you really want to know, I would like to spend it with you."

"I can take you out tomor-"

"No, I don't want that," Sakura giggled when Sasuke expressed an annoyed expression, his lip twitching in misery as they went down the stairs. He noticed his parents must not be home now, since Fugaku had a meeting at work and Mikoto probably went to her office to do papers in peace from the cats and noisy teenagers. "Besides, I have Christmas shopping to do. You still haven't told me what you wanted, Sasuke-kun! I need answers!"

"Hn..." Sasuke was quick to pull a heavy black coat for Sakura's body -that damn shirt was not warm enough for this weather!- before slipping his shoes on and getting his coat before Sakura started yelling for him to hurry up and hearing Shikamaru's car horn honking from the frontyard, Ino's blonde hair was visible in the window. He closed and locked the mansion door and followed the fast pink haired teen to the black car Shikamaru borrowed from his father to take them to the town's mall.

Now, if you can imagine very well, Christmas time will do amazing things to shopping centers; filling the stores with shoppers who are fighting over the last pair of shoes that are in a certain size, catfights only happening because a certain lucky lady was trying to buy a push-up bra when another lady wanted it... Yeah, it is the season of giving. And who wouldn't just _love _being at the mall and be around so many people who would just stare at you and possibly try to stalk you long enough to try and get your phone number?

Uchiha Sasuke is one of those people.

And here he was, walking by his friends and Sakura herself, down the halls of the Kyoto mall and getting all the eyes on him. Of course, who can blame them? Most of the occupants at the mall is either local and knows about the Shippuden band, or their children, nephews-slash-nieces or grandchildren would scream about them and how amazing Uchiha Sasuke's look is. Although Sasuke was dressed in a casual sweatshirt and black jeans (not skinny, damn it. He can't fit!) he was still tall, dark and handsome to those weak fangirls and fanboys. Walking next to Shikamaru and Ino, they could easily blend in with modern beauties of the gods...

And then there is Sakura, the ill-looking girl with paler skin and half lavender moons under her emerald eyes. She was thinner and less busty then Ino, her dear best friend, who strut the model-like walk with an arm intertwined with hers', walking together when the boys stayed back a way and let their girls squeal and point at something in a window. People would stare in awe at the pretty blonde woman who would imagine herself in that silver-blue dress that looked like was made for a princess, then soon turn to stare uncomfortably at the abnormal pink haired girl who would ask for the blonde's opinion of what she would look like in the knee-length red and black dress that looked like was made for a cocktail party with a rich businessman. Ino would swoon in her fantasy of doing Sakura's makeup and short hair into curls, saying that she would look like a doll, and the people will just sigh to themselves and believe that a sick-looking, bone thin, pasty white girl couldn't look anywhere near _attractive. _

"Shika-kun, we're going in here for a minute!" Ino declared, pointing to the enterance of the dress store that they were just window-shopping at a moment ago. She began pulling the distracted pinky into the store, leaving the guys to glance at each other before slowly following them.

"Does this happen all the time?" Sasuke asked in a quiet voice, noticing some fangirls giggle and start following them. "The girl...just goes where she wants?"

"Ino does," Shikamaru answered. "She's high on sugar or something, she just goes with the wind, I guess."

The store Ino and Sakura fell into was a large and popular boutique for the rich-end of teenagers and young adults; possessing tuxedos, gowns, dress shirts and pants, dresses for important events that were modern enough to blend in with the 'formal wear'. The genders were separated from left of girls and right of boys, and sections of separated dress-codes. Simple enough, yes? It was for Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura, who were scurring around racks of long gowns looking for a perfect match for Ino first.

Sakura was in the back, scimming through dress after dress, shaking or shrugging her shoulders at the 'no's or 'maybe's. She halt her hand motions and pulled out a sky blue gown that went down to the woman's ankles; a white glitter that resembled waves on the darker blue sash that wrapped around the waist loosely. Emerald gems widened and a cat-like smile as she turned on her heels and screamed for Ino to come over. Once the friend reached the other, she was showered with the dress Sakura found and hurried over to the dressing room when she offered her selection to Sakura and pushed her into a sharing stall.

The door was shut and the sounds of Sakura threatening to kill Ino if she tried to rip her shirt off again was echoing through the whole store as the boys pretended they didn't hear anything. They simply looked around at the tuxs and ties until Ino called for them to come over, groaning as they obeyed the dictator and found Ino being dazzling in the dress Sakura picked out. She stood infront of the all-view mirror, twirling around with her hands on her wide hips; the very definition of glamor reeked (in a good way) all around Ino as she winked at Shikamaru.

"What'cha think, Shika-kun?" Ino asked in a purr as she twirled over to her boyfriend, landing with her back on his chest and raked her painted nails through his ponytail, looking at him with a naughty glint in her teal-ish eyes. "Do I look sexy or what?"

"Mm, yeah," Shikamaru sighed and nodded, a slight tint of pink on his cheekbones as Ino pinched them and cooed. "You gonna get that?"

"Are you buying me a present, Shika-kun?" Ino asked with obvious hope in her tone, her jaw dropping.

"No."

Ino pouted and sputtered through her lips. "You suck, Shika-kun. It's the month of Christmas, for Christ's sake! You can buy me this and I will give you your present early too. See, I'll give you a hint..." She pulled his ponytail down and whispered something very low, Sasuke not listening anyhow, but he could tell the naughtyness she had in store by the way Shikamaru's expressions were changing constantly as his face flushed.

When Ino was done whispering, Shikamaru cleared his throat and stood up straight. "Fine..." His voice was cracking, and Sasuke couldn't help but smirk when Ino squealed and hopped into the dressing room. When the guys glanced at each other, Shikamaru scowled. "Shut up, Uchiha!"

"I didn't say anything, Nara," Sasuke informed with a smirk still in his face.

"If you overheard any of that, I will sooo ki-"

"Ino-chan, I don't want to go out. I look bad in it!"

"Na-ah, whatever I pick is _nothing bad, _you billboard brow!"

"What did you say, _pig?"_

The sound of something that reminded Sasuke of Momma Cat getting a bath made him turn his head to the closed dressing room door, where Ino and Sakura must be going at it all over again. He rolled his eyes and tried to stay out of it until Ino called for assistance from both boys.

Her bleached blonde hair poked out, her face annoyed and serious at the same time. "You guys won't say she looks bad, right? Just look and say something nice, got it?"

Sasuke didn't reply, but Shikamaru spoke for both of them as he agreed to Ino's terms, letting a smile hit his girlfriend's face. With a giggle, Ino snuck back in and let the door swing open, colliding with the wall and scaring the employee who was arranging racks, and began pushing out a oh-so-very-shy Sakura in a dress.

The pink haired teen was wearing a thin strapped dress that went to her knees, frillying in see through layers until it his the pitch black miniskirt that covered her thighs securely. The color was the same color as fresh roses after being sprayed with water, little clear droplet-looking touches decorated the skirt area like stars in the night sky, the torso that was stitched to resemble a corset in silky black ribbons and tiny black diamonds lightly on the silky dress. Sakura's legs looked longer in the dress and her waist was showing curves that no one thought she had, looking like a fairy with her chopped pink hair and deep red cheeks of shyness as she nibbled on her index finger nervously. Her eyes looked even more green and more shiny when it contrasted with the heavy red color.

Honestly, Sasuke has never seen anything more enchanting.

Ino may have the look to be the glam-girl. Her hips and curvy waist prove helpful to assist the long bleached hair that would make you think she was the modern Marylin Monroe to anyone who would meet her for the first time. But, Sasuke, being raised in high-class and seeing what was considered beauty or glamorous, was looking at something that no one would ever notice unless they saw Sakura face-to-face.

Perfection.

"I think you look really nice in that, Sakura," Shikamaru said with a polite smile. "I think it fits you perfectly."

Sakura muttered a thanks, not meeting anyone's eyes as Ino gushed and pulled the shy girl over to the shelf of accessories; scanning and digging in the gown like she was late for the ball, Ino pulled out white gloves that she slipped onto her own arms and held a black headband with a jeweled rose and thin ribbons on the side. Ino smiled in victory as she slid it onto Sakura's head, as if a queen giving a princess her first tiara, she began cooing at her friend's flushed face and cuddled her.

"A masterpiece! Yamanaka Ino, you've outdone yourself!" Ino roared in triumph as she twirled again in the dress, running into the dressing room to get back into her normal clothes so her beloved boyfriend will buy her early Christmas present ASAP, leaving Sakura infront of the boys...one who has not spoken yet.

"I feel...weird wearing this," Sakura confessed shyly as she finally met Sasuke's stare. She swallowed and offered a shy smile. "You think I look weird, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke still didn't respond to anything. He was still distracted by the curves and long legs.

"Sasuke-kun, are you-?"

"SAKURA-CHAAAAN!"

All distractions or uncomfortable mist was lifted when a annoying male voice killed Sasuke's hearing, having his stare of awe turn into a glare of death as his head turned to see a bowl-cut baffoon with an overboard of a green-sweatsuit and orange sneakers -seriously, this was an outfit for a sterotypical running nerd- as the flushed cheeks of Rock Lee pranced up to meet Sakura's pale face. No physical contact was made, but Sasuke was _not happy _with the closeness this twit was overruling waaay to much.

"Sakura-chan, is it really _you?" _stars sparkled in his round eyes as Lee clasped his hands together, looking over Sakura's attire and smiled approvingly as if he was making it official that it was the Sakura he was looking for. "Aah, _yooosh! _Only the Haruno Sakura I know can pull off that youthful dress of blooming roses or sweet wine; the Haruno _Sa-ku-ra _is here in the flesh and looking more beautiful then _EVAR!"_

Sakura's face flushes even redder as she tried to calm the way-too-excited young man. "L-Lee-san, it's good to see you, too... Uhm, please stay calm, okay?"

Lee's feet took him down from his toes, his whole cloud of youthful bunnies went down as he bowed his head. "Oh, yes, yes, yes, Sakura-chan. I nearly forgot about your conditon and how it must have a peaceful atmosphere!"

This was a lie. As much as Sakura enjoyed Lee's happy-go-lucky attitude in life, it simply just got annoying by day two. She hated being mean to Lee, since he was only just trying to be nice to the person he worshipped the ground she walked on; being the head in the Sakura Fanclub, Lee was always first to answer and trivia question about Sakura. He knew her favorite hobbies, her school awards, bloodtype and all the sorts. Creepy? A little bit, but still sweet in its own sick way.

Sakura gave Lee the brightest smile she could muster through dark cheeks. "Thanks, Lee-san, but I don't look good in this thing; it was made for someone whos' more pretty."

"Eiyah, Sakura-chan! Don't say such lies to yourself," Lee pouted, seriously on the verge of tears. "If you want my opinion, I will have to be honest that you look like a superstar ready for the greatest show in her life, _YOSH!" _He pumped a fist into the air and took a little glance at his wrist, where his turtle-shaped watch pointed out the time for him to panick. "Aah! I must depart from your youthful beauty, Sakura-chan! I'm training with Gai-sensei for the next track meet!" Without letting Sakura say a goodbye, he left the blushing girl in the dust and hurried out.

Sakura swallowed again before looking at Sasuke's still form, which stood there, ignored and somewhat unwanted into the conversation, as his face as harder then a rock and his eyes was unable to be read at all. Her thoughts went over everything that could go wrong as Shikamaru walked away when Ino popped out, minding her own business for once in her life, leaving the recent couples alone.

_'God damn it! Damn it all!' _Sakura looked down at her feet, starting to play the Hinata with her index fingers. She blinked tight for a moment before looking up to Sasuke's face again, feeling bad about being rude to him and all. "S-Sasuke-kun... Uhm, sorry about-"

"Go take the dress off, Sakura," Sasuke intrupted her, making her jump a bit. His eyes were still unreadable, yet the crossing of his arms meant something he was taking seriously.

_'I guess he wants us to leave... I was just trying to let Sasuke-kun have a good time,' _Sakura frowned a little bit deeper, too shy to move anywhere like he had instructed. "I just w-wanted to say that I'm..."

"I'm going to need the dress to buy it, Sakura," Sasuke sighed. "You get in trouble in here if you rip the pricetag off to go buy it."

She couldn't help it. "Why are you buying the _dress, _Sasuke-kun? I look totally weird in it!" She pointed to places of the dress and blushed harder as she spoke her opinion of how she looked in it. "See? This color makes me look even more sick, and the decorations look like it's something a _child would weaaar!"_

Sasuke let her rant and rant and rant, being patient until she ran out of stuff to ramble about and watched her heave in a breath to calm herself. He raised an eyebrow, asking if she was done in his silent language and she answered with a whimper. Totally childish.

"If you really want my opinion, and no one else... I think the dress makes you look like the brightest star in the sky." His words numbing her face, Sasuke's sculpted cheekbones were pink to her view as she gaped at his compliment. He didn't meet her eyes now as she stared at him. "Well? Go and change so we can get out of here... This store gives me the creeps."

This time, with her legs feeling like they weighed over thousands of pounds, Sakura silently entered the changing stall and slowly closed the door behind her, blocking off any sight of their of their faces as Sasuke's eyes widened and hunched over, running his hands through his spiked hair.

_'The hell am I doing?' _Sasuke mentally slapped himself, huffing his cheeks like red balloons. _'Not in character- She probably thinks I'm being __**jealous **__of that stupid Lee brat. Like freakin' hell I'm jealous of that bowlhead!' _The icy teenager rolled his eyes when he noticed the peering eyes of people watching him struggle with his innerself, growling at the other customers and employees to get back to their damn business and leave him to argue with himself!

On the other side of the dressingroom door, Sakura was trying hard not to squeal out in pure joy.

_'He called me pretty!'_

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- Sorry for the short chapter D: I was busy while making this chapter, so I kinda had to muster up as much as I could without slacking off too much... BLEH, I FAILED AND I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THIS! TwT You know I love you all right?

I promise next time will be better, but I just had to stay up to my updating goals, ya know? I promise next chapter will be better and will have more embarrassing moments for Sasuke... Just because I loooove screwing with him.

Remember the fuzzball condition! IT SNOWED WHERE I LIVE, SO I NEED TO GET SUPER FUZZY!


	11. Chapter 11

HUUUU~-falls over on chair- Freetime is getting cut short again with wintery season hitting us hard with tons of snow and ice hitting the roads ;w; Since the bikeroads have been closed down for safety procautions, I have been needing to take the train and bus to places QwQ I like the train, sure, but I LOVE my bike more. I can drive, but I love bikes more... People drive crazy nowadays and you can't trust them on the icy roads fairly well. Goodness, I hate ranting and I'm sorry about that QwQ I just miss having freetime and writing when I want to~! -rolls on floor-

Special thanks to all who have been patient with my lack of updating, but things do get in the way and I hope you all understand! You're all very amazing and I don't think I can ask for anything more of wonderful readers who do what they want; Reviewing, Following, Favoriting or even leaving me in the dirt is all in the amazingness to me. If I had a pudding cup for everyone, I would give them to you guys! Any flavor you want, really. I ran out of waffles and cakes, so puddingcups is all I have now ;w;

REPLIES TO REVIEWS (that need Kitty's answers)-

xXmysterious-unknownXx- ;A;...-breaks down crying- DANKE! TwT

harusaki-tsukiko- Your friend is a fan of my stories? owe I feel...so honored TwT Even after I've been delaying with my lack of freetime to upload more often! -falls out of chair- Please do tell your friend that She's a sweetheart and I hope to find her someday on DeviantArt if I do make a account to it, please? C; And thank you for being such a good person to me when I feel like I don't have enough time/inspiration/brain-cells/etc. I wish I can give you a cupcake! And to your P.S. ... You're absolutely right about it ;w;" I was too busy trying to keep up with my updates that I spelled Hinata's sister's name wrong =A=" -sepukku- Please do forgive a Kitty and her lazyness with uploading? But thank you SO MUCH for pointing it out to me pwp" I'm old as well and brain processing is like trying to get service on your phone inside a building with no windows (I feel like an old fart) BUT THANK YOU!

You know how I said we got snow and icy roads for winter? Kitty needs all the fuzzballyness she can get for her hour of walking outside in the cold; cold is nice, but it gets annoying when the wind blows in chur face! Reviewing, Following, Favoriting or doing nothing will get me ready for even more snow that's suppose to be coming by this weekend. I hope everyone is enjoying their time and will have a good day!

_P.S.- I'm still getting nice feedback on the DeviantArt idea C; But I would like to hear more from other people; if you have a moment, can you give me your opinion? Thank you so much and I hope you have a very nice day._

=xxx=

Chapter Eleven- Hope to Find

Haruno Sakura stood infront of the shelf of the videogame store, scanning the little boxes that was labeled on sale. Her credit card in hand, she blessed her grandmother for giving her an unlimited fee for the holiday season and it was proving very helpful with the crowded stores of popular items in today's Christmas Wishlist; one being videogames that would cost way too much yen and Sakura would cry on the inside, but this little store, thank any God that exists, was having a sale on the actual good games for the Xbox360 and Sakura couldn't be anymore happy.

The only problem was the other lasy standing by her, obviously watching Sakura's every move of her choice.

Sakura knew the deal: see what the teenager picks out and take it too, knowing thats what today's kids like. She's been shopping with Ino and Hinata long enough to know the holiday struggles and tricks on mothers or aunt's sleeves. Hell, Kushina pulls it on Black Friday with Naruto seeing the bloody horror from a few feet away!

The store's music started playing the next techno song on the employee's playlist, totally setting the mood in Sakura's head as she finally found the videogame she was looking for: Assassins Creed III, Naruto's Christmas present. She looked in her peripheral vision to see the lady watching her carefully, her hand was twitching and preparing for Sakura's move as she took a step forward and inched closer to the game, just touching the last copy's corner when-

"Sorry! I had it first!" the woman coughed fakely as she tried to pry the box out of Sakura's tight grip on the edge. "Gimme the game, doll."

"Nuh-uh," Sakura sniffed sweetly with a cheeky smile as she pulled the game out of the woman's grip, bursting energy in her legs as she ran away from the scowling woman to the purchasing desk and held out the game to the poor worker who jumped by Sakura's ergency. "I'd like to check out please! Heres' my card." She was careful now to place the silver credit card on the surface of the desk and gently slide it over. She offered a sweet wink to the nerdy kid and waited patiently while the woman behind Sakura breathed down her neck in fury.

"Hey! I touched the game first, it's mine!"

"I-I am sorry, ma'am, but I think she should buy it..." the poor guy tried to settle the woman down when he swiped the flirty Sakura's card, bagging the receipt and game into a plastic bag. "She was here first..."

"Bullshit! I've been looking for that game for _ever!"_

The sweet worker gave Sakura the game, winning the battle as the sweetheart twirled on her boots. "I would recommend Black OPs II, it's a big hit in America," she sang sweetly as she skipped away from the desk and over to the other side of the store where Sasuke was looking at wireless controller. Too bad for the employee, whos' heart was drumming hard, to see the pretty girl jump on her _boyfriend's _back.

Sasuke grunted with the impact of the very light body of Sakura, hearing her giggle childishly made him turn down the idea to scowl and instead turned away from the different controllers to look at Sakura's bright smile. He raised an eyebrow in question to see her raise the bag that held her next purchase.

"I got Naruto's present," Sakura explained with a smile. She twirled her hips as Sasuke's jacket swayed with her hyper body. "He's so gonna kiss my feet when he opens it."

"Good. One less thing to hear the Dobe whining about," Sasuke smirked lightly and allowed Sakura to place the bag into the bigger paper bag that held the other purchases she made in the last hour and let her pick it up.

Sakura's head leaned to the side to see the numerous choises for a controller. "Did you see something you wanted for Christmas, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

Translation: 'No, I did not, Sakura. Simply because I'm not telling you what I wanted for Christmas.'

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura groaned as she looped her arm with his pocketed arm, letting him start to lead her out of the store and into the busying crowds of people. "Why won't you tell me what you would like for Christmas, ne? It's the holiday of giving and you already got me something!" She reminded Sasuke _again _of the red cocktail dress he bought for her two weeks ago at the store Ino dragged her best friend and their boyfriends into to 'just look around'. Ino got all held up in dressing up with Sakura in numerous stores that she never got the chance to get anything for her friends and family for Christmas. Sasuke, being the sweetheart that he was, took Sakura to the mall today after her annual MRI scan of her brainwaves at the hospital.

But still, Sasuke would not tell Sakura what he wanted. "What I want for Christmas is a secret."

"Not fair, Sasuke-kun. Just not freakin' fair."

"Saint Nikolas is watching, Sakura," Sasuke drawled lazily and smirked down at her, causing Sakura to stick her tongue out at him. He chuckled lightly when Sakura buried her face into his arm and groaned impatiently, looking at how her fingers clung to his shirt's sleeve. "Come on, it's time for you to get something to eat. That new medication has to get you either thirsty or hungry, hn?"

"I'm not hungry," Sakura mewled with tired eyes. Mikoto had gotten new information from the doctor from Canada, saying that there was great progress in the experiments they were conducting and found a new medication formula that would help with the production of the adrenaline in her body; proving to be helpful to keep her calm most of the time, yet still allow her to move quickly when needed, like when Mikoto would play Tossing-Momma Cat. "But I want a milkshake, please!"

Seeing her perked for the sweet made Sasuke roll his eyes. "It's something to eat, Sakura."

"And drink. So it's a torphy on both ends," Sakura added in with a sly smile, looking at Sasuke evily as they both stopped by a bench that was outside of the food court; setting the bag down by her feet. "Can I have one?"

They stared at each other in a argument for a moment before Sasuke exhaled in defeat. He rolled his eyes as Sakura giggled again and reached behind himself to grab his wallet. "Fine, but you wait here and behave. Got it?" He found his wallet and checked Sakura's jacket -his jacket- to make sure it was zipped up. "Keep it on. It's cold in here."

It was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes. "Like I'm gonna do anything illegal." She sat down ont he bench and crossed her arms and legs, pouting childishly as she looked oh-so-innocently at Sasuke. "You think I don't behave well enough for you, Sasuke-kun?"

"After playing ninja with that lady in the store, I don't know it I can let you out of my sight anymore." Sasuke turned on his heels and walked away from the giggling girlfriend of his.

Sakura eased up on her laughter, feeling tired from the medication's effect on her when her cellphone rang in her skinnyjean pocket. She pulled out her little device and found that it was Naruto calling her. Smiling at the fact that she got her friend his gift, she flipped it open and answered with a cheery tone.

"Hey Naruto," Sakura said with a smile. "What's up?"

"Sakura-chaaan, I need help with Hinata's present," the blond teenager cried out into the ear, causing Sakura to close her eyes for a moment to take in the ringing in her good ear. She knew that the kid wasn't going to stop until he was done, so she allowed him to continue his talk until finished. "I'm pretty much looking left and right in this store with Pa, theres' a awesome looking spa set that has all that lavender scents she likes and stuff, but then theres' the expensive perfume that those rich actresses wear. How do you say it? I dunno, but this is really killin' me, Sakura-chan! I want to spoil Hinata-chan, but I only have enough money for one of them!"

Hearing Naruto breathing into the phone, Sakura's lips pierced with a pop. "Naruto, you're making it into a big deal... The perfume that Hinata likes comes in a smaller bottle for a _way _cheaper price and then you can buy the spa set with the deal of the perfume. I saw the deal in the paper last night."

"Really?" Naruto's hopes glittered through the phone.

"Yeah," Sakura nodded. "So get the small perfume bottle, and then say you wanted the deal to the spa set. Done deal."

"Sakura-chaaan," Naruto cried out.

"Yes?"

"You're the best human being in the whole world!" Naruto squealed before calling for his father who, if Sakura was certain, looking at something cute for his beloved wife. "Pa! It's all good now! Hey Sakura-chan, did you find a dress for the play?"

Everything went silent around Sakura besides Naruto's breathing. "What play? I didn't hear anything about a play..."

"Ooh, I guess Teme didn't tell you, huh? We're taking everyone to the Nutcracker play," Naruto explained openly and totally dumbfounded. "Then theres' a dinner place that's suppose to be really yummy; pasta, salads and pretty desserts that Hinata found on the website. I want to share the chocolate lava cake with icecream with you! I challenge you to an eating contest with that, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura's cheeks were tinting a little. _'Sasuke-kun was planning to go to the Nutcracker play with Naruto? Why didn't he tell me?' _Her thoughts buzzed about the idea of Sasuke keeping it as a secret? The Uchiha Sasuke keeping _secrets _from his girlfriend.

Was that even logical?

"Sakura-chan? Oi, Sakura-chan! Did I lose you or something? God damn this shitty phone!" Naruto's voice took out Sakura's thoughts, she finally gave up on it and rolled her eyes at her phone.

"Naruto, shut up please," Sakura sighed. "Your phone is fine, I need to get going though. I'll talk to you later." After saying their goodbyes, Sakura just had enough time to place her phone back and think things over before Sasuke came back with her milkshake and his own cup with a bitter flavored tea and ice. She silently got up from her spot and went to go hug him.

Somewhat confused by the sudden act of affection, Sasuke blinked a few times as he stared at the top of Sakura's pink head; watching her face redden as her sparkling eyes looked up at him sweetly. As much as he enjoyed Sakura's slight clingy personality and that cute face she's making right now, he couldn't help but wonder why she would be so appreaciative of him getting her a simple strawberry milkshake. He knew she liked milkshakes, but really?

"Sasuke-kun," Sasuke watched her head move to see her emerald eyes, the kind he just likes to look at, "did you and Naruto make a day to take us to the Nutcracker play?"

Gong.

"...The moron told you, didn't he?" Sasuke's voice hissed out, scaring a child and mother walking past them. The kid started crying at the devilish sound of anger and clung to his mother's thigh; hurrying the kid away from the scary man with the chicken-ass hair. When Sakura looked up, she could see the dark cloud surrounding Sasuke's face, and his bangs covering his black eyes that would be red (with anger, not the Sharingan xD) by now. "I'm going to kill that idiot and-"

"Sasuke-kun, don't be angry with Naruto," Sakura cut him off with that adorable smile of hers, Sasuke almost fell to the temptation of blushing a little. "Think of it this way, if I didn't know about it beforehand, I would have gotten mad and tried to kill _you!"_ Her giggles were sweet, echoing in the hallway to calm down the crying kid -surprising how opposite they are- but Sasuke knew she was been downright serious. Her fingers drummed on his sculpted chest as she smiled sweetly at him, her eyes sparkling up to him. "But, if it helps with your anger towards Naruto, I am very happy to be going to the Nutcracker. It can be a date!"

Sasuke looked away somewhat shyly. "Naruto and Hinata and Ino and Shikamaru are coming with us, too... It really won't be a date, per se."

"I don't care for that part, Sasuke-kun," Sakura's eyes narrowed teasingly. "I'm just pleased that you went out of your way to plan such a nice thing like that; I haven't seen the Nutcracker in a long time. Not since-" She cut herself off with a nervous hiccup. Sasuke glanced down at her to see her face blank, looking at her boots sadly and her eyes shined. "Well, since you know..."

The way she was biting her lower lip bothered him, just taking the milkshake from Sasuke's hands carefully and began to suck on the straw hard; trying to make her eyes keep back the little tears. He clenched his fist a little before brushing his thumb on her chin that wobbled little, tilting her head up as it was still busy trying to eat/drink the dairy fluid. "Don't upset yourself over it. I want you to have a fun this weekend; seeing the play and having fun with the Dobe if necessary... Don't give him all your attention though," he added in with a disgusted face of annoyance. She couldn't help but giggle and let go of the straw from in between her teeth.

"You're so territorial," Sakura snickered with a smile. She knew Sasuke wasn't the openly affectionate type like Naruto was to Hinata, but was alright with her, since she found it funny that Sasuke gets possessive or moody whenever some guy would be nice to Sakura -even way before they started dating, Sakura always thought Sasuke was protective with his and Naruto's little baby, but you get the picture; now that they are together, Sasuke would be grinding his teeth to anyone with a penis (and Sakura isn't afraid to say the 'p' word outloud).

She cuddled her head onto Sasuke's arm, using her free hand to pull his arm around her own shoulder. The action caused Sasuke to watch her with curious eyes until he looked away when Sakura winked adorably at him; his mouth pierced and he tried so damn hard to make it look like he wasn't happy about it, but his heartbeat pounding against Sakura's arm was a dead giveaway. She giggled again when he groaned looking away, and picked up her shopping bag and started leading them both down the hall to their next store.

"Sasuke-kun, don't be a crybaby. I'm still happy!" Sakura laughed when he started grunting with annoyed tone. "Smile for me right now!"

"Hn."

"Close enough, cha!"

=xxx=

Hours upon hours of shopping at the mall in heely boots, Sakura finally finished all her shopping with just enough money left on her credit card for the rest of the month. Who knew Chiyo was putting so much money into the card for her good grandchild? Yes, Sasori spends the money on...useless things, as Chiyo would put it. But Sakura never asked. Anyway, Sakura was touch enough to carry enough bags under her medication for Sasuke to keep her limit little, as he carried the heavier things to the trunk of their car; giving the drive much more quiet when Sakura started to doze off between five-thirty for the fifteen minutes of the car ride. Whenever Sasuke would glance over he would easily find her eyes half-lidded and her pink head bobbing, his thoughts trying to figure out if she was able to stay awake long enough to eat an early dinner before getting ready for bed.

Sasuke parked the car as quietly as he could into the big garage that held all of the Uchihas' collections of cars. Putting the car into park and killing the engine, Sakura jumped awake when Sasuke opened his own door, smirking at her sudden adrenaline rush and watched her slump back and cuss at him. If it would be anywhere near somekind of intoxicated teenager, then that's what people would've said Sakura was.

Sasuke quietly walked around his car and opened the passenger door to find Sakura still cussing little at him, rubbing her eyes furiously while he unbuckled her seatbelt with a simple 'click'. "What'ya doin', Sasuke-kun? I can do it myself, you...you... I forgot, damn it!"

"Buttface?" Sasuke offered lazily. He allowed Sakura to only move her legs out of the car, but picked her up bridalstyle, her arms wrapped around his neck in a sudden urge to make sure she wouldn't fall down.

"Yeah, you're a buttface," Sakura drawled in a growl. She buried her face into his neck, continuing to growl as her boyfriend carried her into the mansion. She was light, that was for sure, but her constant squirming was proving a little bit difficult when she realized where Sasuke was planning on taking her. "I don't want to go to bed yet!"

Since the lovely Uchiha couple wasn't home due to a -as Sasuke quotes it- 'important meeting with a special person' and so the whole mansion would be alone to the two teenagers.

Great idea, no?

"What do you want to do?" Sasuke asked quietly, hoping to hush Sakura's voice to a great percentage. One thing that never changed about Sakura, and Sasuke _would _find it annoying for sure, but she always had a loud voice. He simply carried the drugged girl into the livingroom and settled her on the couch where the cats started to swarm her for cuddles and kisses.

Sakura's droopy eyes glanced warmly at the cats before looking at Sasuke curiously. "Can I have something that will boost up my energy?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Mother wanted you to keep on the medication to help with your heart, Sakura. That is a annoying question." He sat down on the other cushion, knowing Sakura wouldn't want him to leave to pick up the Christmas gifts. He could always get them later.

"What's it 'pose to do again?" Her words were starting to slur. Her face flushed and she bagan fussing since Momma Cat and some of her offspring looked at her like she was a nutcase.

Sasuke had memorized the note Mikoto had left on the fridge before she left. He always took Sakura's medication to memory whenever he thought it was important for her heart or other organs that are effected by the infection in her body. "It's a medication that will drown out your energy, as I guess you can call it. It's suppose to keep you calm and reduce the chances of having a seizure or bleeding."

"I don't like it," Sakura complained with a forced frown as she leant to his shoulder, his strong arm instinctly wrapped around her and he offered to run his palm on her back, just a simple act of comfort without Sasuke going...out of his character. "How long to I have to take it?"

"I don't know." Sasuke was a little erked by the fact that this subracted a lot of Sakura's medication to be replaced to this new pill; without being weened off of the meds to start with the new one, so the side-effects of losing medication _and also _getting a new one was proving somewhat harsh to her little, weak body. He watched Sakura pull a random cat into her arms as she cuddled more into Sasuke's side, his hand keeping a slow and soft rhythm of his massage stroke as she gave of a sigh. "Hopefully you will be all better before the weekend... Do you want to watch something on the TV?"

"Mn," Sakura muttered, pressing her warm lips onto his shirt and closed her eyes slowly. She obviously didn't want anymore loud noises disturbing her, nor did she want to try and pay attention anymore. Thank God she wasn't allowed to go into school with her condition -despite that they have December off from school- but the idea of her falling asleep during class seemed a horrid thought. "Just gimme a minute... That feels nice, Sasuke-kun." She refered to his hand rubbing her shoulderblade gently as she pet the little kittens head to try and mimick his moves only to a pet.

Sasuke's eyes soften much more when he felt Sakura's muscles relax under his gentle touch. Sure, he wasn't the kind to make sure that another person was comfortable, no matter what was causing the other discomfort, but this person was something else to him. Haruno Sakura, the girl who had his heart stitching her name when he was a child was finally his in his arms, in his head and everywhere else as his girlfriend. Being the official boyfriend for this particular girl, to Sasuke, was something different. He hasn't really ever dated another girl in his life, but he had somekind of attentions to other girls. When he figured Sakura didn't have feelings for him, he tried.

And failed to get over Sakura.

_'Making myself feel like a loser for love,' _Sasuke hissed in his head. He shut himself up when Sakura felt him tense and glanced up to meet his black eyes.

"You okay, Sasuke-kun?" she asked in a very soft voice, almost drowning Sasuke out of the world of reality. She reached up when the cat in her arms scrambled off and touched her little, pale hand to his fingers and tangled them loosely; her emerald eyes sparkling at him sweetly when her thumb pressed to his palm gently to feel his pulse.

They have had moments like this before, to many people's surprise. They just don't do it so often around other people for the sake of their own feelings. Sakura was constantly bullied in her younger years whenever she would even look for a second at Sasuke, and he himself would struggle to tell people how he actually felt. Touching hands in comfort was Sakura's only way she could talk to Sasuke when he wouldn't say anything. He was always the silent-type, as you may know.

Touches were something special to Sasuke in some way. He would use different ways to figure out what others' were feeling; like Itachi's old way of poking his forehead, as a sign for brotherly affection whenever Sasuke would accomplish something, Naruto slapping Sasuke's shoulder in attempt to show his appreciation for his best friend; whenever Mikoto would pinch his cheek would be a signal for spoil her youngest son when Fugaku was around and Fugaku's pat on the head was approval. Sakura's touches were different though, very different touches that went straight to Sasuke's bones. Her simple touched left Sasuke to want more in his thoughts, wanted more touches in his hands and face when he needed comfort.

Her eyes were solid and focused on him, as if he was the last thing she would be able to see. His eyes drooped to another angle as his thin lips parted lightly. The hand rubbing Sakura's back gently moved over her shoulder -his arm wrapped around her soft head gently as possible- tucking one of her short hair behind her little ear carefully without breaking the eye contact.

"Sakura," Sasuke said. His next words fazed out to nothing as the intense stare for each other blocked out any unimportant words of rejectment or halting their actions. His index finger slowly traced the outline of her little ear with a curiosity glance. He could feel her warm breath barely touching his skin when she exhaled quietly.

Having her face held by both of Sasuke's hands, warmth flooding her cheeks as her eyes closed in a sweet breath that mesmerized Sasuke of a dream. Her face glowed softly like an angel whenever he would brush a stray hair away from her flawless, yet pale face. He thought she was so beautiful with that soft smile gracing her as she slowly leaned closer, subracting the space between their lips-

"...The peanut butter is in Naruto's pants, Sensei," Sakura sighed with her eyes stayed closed. Sasuke's eyes opened, not realizing that he closed them, to see Sakura's face still quiet and calm; as she always looks like when she's asleep.

_'She...fell asleep. She wasn't trying to..!' _Sasuke's face scrunched up annoyingly as he growled a little in the back of his throat, trying to keep it quiet so it wouldn't disturb the slumbering teen. He stopped all negative reactions when Sakura's hands gently reached up and lightly grasped the hands on her face. His big, warm hands holding her face oh-so-gently that started to cause Sakura to smile a little in her sleep, her doll-like lips twitching gently as she snuggled her flushed cheek against his warmth.

His eyes soften. He couldn't stay angry at Sakura, not like that with the medication running through her systems and bloodstreams. He would have been more...pleased, if you will, if they..._could have _done that you-know-what. He carefully rest Sakura's skull on the cushion before wrapping his arms around her legs and back to bring her into his lap, reaching for the livingroom blanket and draped it over Sakura and himself, and applied light pressure to her shoulder to allow her to snuggle closer into him willingly.

Her nose pressed into his thick neck, her pink lips just barely touching his hot skin as her hands clung to the fabric of his shirt. She was in a deep sleep, but needing to be holding something-some_one _in her arms as someone to hold her back in a very adoringly fashion that would melt her heart away if she was awake. Well, Sasuke would hold her like this forever if he could, as he slowly fell down to rest his back on the cushions with her still in his arms; holding her skull gently against his beating heart as he looked at the ceiling with content in his eyes as his face stayed silent with the cats' purrs vibrating and the sound of the winter wind outside.

Being boyfriend and girlfriend for almost three weeks didn't make much of a difference to Sakura in the big picture, she treated Sasuke the same with her sweetness and her giddy attitude to making a situation less stressful for him; pleasing Sasuke's innerbattles with his own head whenever Sakura would poke his rib, hoping to find his tickle spot for once, or throw a crumbled up ball of paper at his head whenever he was spacing out. He liked that, getting out of his own thoughts and pay attention to her. But, as of their relationship status now, Sakura doesn't seemed to react largely to it.

On the other hand, Sasuke was panicking.

Sure, in the past, Sasuke had allowed Sakura to cuddle him, bother him, soothe him and so much more, but that was only because she was _Sakura _to him. Everything he wanted in a girl of his dreams as he hoped someday he would grow the balls to talk to her about his feelings; being some kind of light, now he had her in his grasp as his _girlfriend. _Now, pretend to be in Sasuke's shoes, feeling the same emotions as he does with the world (as he most certainly pulls off the look of not giving a damn, that's for sure) and now had this girl accepting his feelings as she feels the same for him. He doesn't know what to do with her now; with the many years of having dreams (non-wet, thank you perverted people) of holding her and kissing her head whenever he pleased...and other places on her facial features, if you get the idea.

His fingers touched her scalp in a soothing manner, hearing her sigh in her sleep and mutter something like 'Don't eat the toxic mushrooms, Akamaru!' caught his attention. She seemed to like the soft touches of the tip of his fingers on her head as she stirred slowly, opening her eyes gently and looking at his watchful glance curiously. She didn't seemed disturbed about the position she was in: right ontop of him. Her own hand raised up and held his palm against her skull, closing her eyes briefly with a rather discomfort expression as a whine escaped through her little lips.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked quietly, thinking that her ears would be sensitive to anything louder then a cat's mewl. His thumb poked her cheekbone where he noticed the shadows under her tired eyes looked more distinct in the dim light of the lamp of the livingroom.

Sakura pressed her nose against his bicep, inhaling and clenched to his shirt with a groan. "This medicine...is stupid. I'm tired." The hand holding his against her head held a little bit tighter on his wrist as she glanced at him with a rather sad look. "It makes me feel so sick, Sasuke-kun; can we go home..?"

Realizing that Sakura wasn't aware of where she was, concern was visible in his black eyes. He was careful to motion his hand to get her pink head to move back down against his chest, pressing her cheek against his heartbeat that instantly calmed down her soft whines. She was uncomfortable of her body reacting so oddly to the new medication, and it worried Sasuke to the fact that it was a similar effect she would have after having a seizure.

_Thirteen-year old Sasuke watched as Sakura was covered with a wool blanket on the stretcher, her face recently cleaned of blood from her accident on the ferris wheel made her look like she was sleeping. But her skin was still icy pale and her limbs stayed unmoving from any reaction to a prick from the emergency assistant's stick; scaring Sasuke to think that she had died, Ino and Hinata started bursting into tears and Naruto was simply panicking around the festival grounds with strands of his hair flying into the wind._

_Sakura's eyes snapped open before the ambulance staff reached for the stretcher._

_Sasuke was by her at the moment she made a noise of discomfort and shoved a medic's hand away when he tried to press his fingers to her pulse, the only reaction she pulled until her arm fell limp into Sasuke's hands. She moved her eyes only to look at Sasuke, her orbs filling with tears as she tried talking, but her words were slurred greatly to almost impossible to know what she was saying._

_"Mn...auce...awd... Ke-han..." her fingers looped around Sasukes', gripping as tight as she could when he leaned closer to try and hear her correctly. She started crying in pain when a single strand of blood dripped out of the corner of her mouth, alarming the medics as she tried to shove Sasuke away._

_After telling the medics for the fifth time who his mother was, and demanding to be let in, they allowed Sasuke to ride alongside with them while the other preteens were driven by Shikamaru's folks over to the hospital. He didn't talk to any of the adults in the vehicle, only nodding slowly whenever Sakura would start sputtering nonsense of words when the oxygen mask was slipped carefully over her mouth._

_"Miss Haruno," the medic hovered over Sakura's form with Sasuke, holding a light laser to look into her emerald sparkles. "Miss Haruno, can you tell me where you are?"_

_Sakura looked dazed for a moment, her eyes switching back to the medic to Sasuke and back again. Slowly, almost frightened by doing so, she shook her head in a drunken way. "Mn-hn..."_

_"Miss Haruno, what is today's date?"_

_No answer. Sasuke's face scrunched._

_"Haruno... What was the last thing you remember doing?"_

_Shaking her head again, Sasuke shut his eyes._

_"...Who is this boy here, Miss Haruno?"_

_Her hand squeezed Sasukes', causing the questioned boy to look at her crying eyes; the look on her face was frightened, no doubt about that, but the look of trust in the little sparkle made Sasuke aware of her brain being capable of knowing who it was, she just couldn't talk anymore. She was tired and she wanted to be left alone._

_"Ssh..awe-kn...kin," Sakura's mouth tried so hard to open on command, but she just couldn't. She didn't loosen her grip on Sasuke's hand, and he didn't want her to anyhow; keeping her comany mattered most._

_In his head, Sasuke repeated the idea of her eating something bad and it didn't sit well with her stomach. He remembered her drinking a large cup of shaved ice with cherry, drinking it quickly and noted that her tummy was feeling weird. She was just sick and Mikoto would make her feel better before dinner at the Uzumakis' house, as Sasuke would think much harder as she tightened his hold on Sakura's fragile hand, leaving a pink print of the forced pressure on her frail skin._

_She wasn't sick. _

"Can we go home, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura whimpered quietly as she moved her head up to look at him without raising her head off of his chest. She sounded more groggy and tired as she felt her legs and arms grow heavier by the minute. "My head hurts..."

"Where?" he asked simply, his lips pouting somewhat to get her attention span to stay awake a little bit longer before she just smushed her face with her palms. Implying that her head was hurting everywhere, Sasuke rolled to his side, smushing Sakura between him and the cushioned walls of the couch and pushed her bangs back with one hand. He easily bent his neck and started pressing his mouth to the heated skin of her broad forehead.

As usual, Sakura would usually close her eyes with the satisfaction of Sasuke keeping her head at ease with his sweet, lovey-dovey attitude, but something was keeping her awake and her heart thumping thickly against her chest. The feeling of Sasuke's mouth lingered longer then usual and using much more pressure that she can almost feel like he was actually kissing her head. The idea of Sasuke being more, if you will, touchy with Sakura made her uncomfortable, but yet she liked it a lot; with Sasuke been more open made her feel special, like she was the only reason why Sasuke was letting his guard down.

She closed her eyes with a smile on her face as she cuddled closer to him and fell asleep, her chest still stinging... She didn't care.

**Canada, PST **

Working overtime with the recently faxed prints of the patient's MRI scans over the course of _years _proved annoying to the two doctors working; one leaving to go home to get some shut eye for once and left their partner to stay overtime in the lab and chugging three cups of coffee... Too bad this doctor was too damn stubborn to give up. Laser pointers continuously mapped out years of progression of Haruno Sakura's infection proved a more difficult task then this particular doctor thought.

Of course, Mikoto and many other well-known doctors areound the world looked over Haruno's special case: infection that was causing her to bleed on the _inside _whenever her heart rate went up a little too high, causing seizures, nausea, vomiting and internal bleeding that doesn't stop on its own. This case, as a professional medical person would think, is a hopeless case and should let the teenager to live out the rest of her life without care.

Not to Doctor Senju Tsunade, the Japanese graduate of the best medical universities and the leading director of Canada's new medical research to find the 'cure' for this abnormal illness this almost eighteen-year old had in her heart.

Looking at the MRI scans _one more freakin' time _before she called it quits for the day, reminding herself she had an appointment with a personal client, she noticed something odd with one of the x-ray photos of Sakura's heart at the age of thirteen to the age of fifteen. Leaning closer, she examined a little dark spot in the first chamber (as she named it) of the pumping organ's picture and pulled the most recent one of last week's MRI scan to compare it. Taking a neon sharpie, Tsunade circled the little spec in the older picture and held it up against the light with the newer one overlapping it- putting shoulder bones to match up perfectly.

_'She hasn't grown in bones since she was thirteen,' _Tsunade thought with a frown. _'Her body must've been eating her bone and muscle growth... She's short, too.' _Looking at the x-rays of the MRI made Tsunade's eyes become much more sore, causing her to tip one of the pictures to the side by accident...

When she found something bad.

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- This was NOT how I wanted this chapter to end D: No songs, no actual SasuSaku action that I prefer (oh fawk, I'm a perv) but I hope it was worth the LONG delay of updating when I wanted to ;w; I'm off my project at work by the end of the week and I won't be having classes for a while soon. Next chapter...hopefully will be better and Sasuke and Sakura will finally do something xD But what? I honestly got nothing.

KIKI~! INSPIRE ME, BABY.

Cliffhangers are allowed to be tortured until Kitty is allowed to ride her freakin' bike again QwQ" ALL MY LOVE GOES TO YOU GUYS; PLEASE REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE OR WHATEVER YOU WANT! -jumps out of chair-


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